You Were Always There
by OpenBookLina
Summary: During his childhood, Harry hated being with his aunt and uncle at Privet Drive. Yet there was always the one person who made him happy, who made it bearable. Mia Thatcher was his first and best friend, and nothing could pull them apart. What happens when they both receive letters from Hogwarts? What adventures will they face and will they pull through together?
1. Meeting the Potter Boy

**Hey everyone! I know I probably shouldn't be doing this since I'm so far behind in updating my other stories, but this idea has been on my mid for a very long time, and I just want to see where it goes. Tell me what you think, do you like it, do you hate it? I know there have been lots of HarryxOC stories, all I ask is that you give this a chance. The first chapter is in Mia's POV. I've never written something from an eight-year-old's point of view, so please tell me if it needs improvement. Please review, and be honest with me. Thank, and enjoy! **

Chapter One: Meeting the Potter Boy 

MPOV

"Mummy, do I _have_ to go?" groaned Mia loudly, trying to keep up with her mother's long strides.

"Yes darling, you have to go," said Catherine for what had to be the eighth time that morning. "You'll be just fine Mia, I know it's going to be a little hard, but everything will end up okay, I promise. I know you are going to make lots of new friends here."

Mia sighed softly, but otherwise didn't comment. Seeing her daughter's obvious discomfort, Catherine smiled and placed her arm around Mia's shoulder, giving it a light squeeze. Mia looked up at her mother and tried giving her a brave smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. She knew her mother was trying to make her feel better, and she knew she promised her that she would try to make the best of this, but there was still that unnerving feeling in the pit of her stomach that made her want to run for the hills.

Today was the day that little Mia Thatcher would start her brand new primary school, in her brand new neighborhood, ten blocks from her brand new house, settled in her brand new town. She could hardly believe that only a week ago she had been standing in her old empty room, clutching her stuffed horse in her hands, silent tears running down her face as she realized she wouldn't see it again. That whole day had been spent going through the house that she had lived in since birth while her parents finished up loading the moving van outside. Many found memories were held there, and it hurt her to know that her and her family were moving away from it all. For an eight year old, Mia normally wasn't very stubborn, whiney, or fussy, but as soon as she heard that her father's job was forcing them to leave their home, she threw a fit. She tried crying, yelling, and even went as far as trying to tie herself to her bed, but in the end, it was no use. Her father's company was making them relocate closer to the city, and Mia reluctantly realized there was nothing she could do about it.

So now they were settled in the little town of Surrey, in Number 2, Privet Drive. It had taken a week for them to have everything set into place in the new house, and, as much as Mia didn't want to admit it, it was a nice house. It had three bedrooms, (one for her parents, one for guests, and one for her), two bathrooms, a fairly large kitchen, a comfy living room, dining room, and luscious backyard. In an attempt to raise her spirits, Mia's father, Ben Thatcher, told her they could paint her new room whatever color she wanted, and that they would do it together. It did indeed set Mia's mind at ease, for what was supposed to be a simple paint job turned into an all-out war in which both of them ended up looking like walking and talking rainbows. Catherine had glared at them, but her lips were twitching, as if she were trying not to laugh.

During that time, Catherine and Ben were going through the last requirements to sign Mia up for a place in the local school. Mia had been dreading the first day of school, scared that she was not going to fit in. She missed her old friends so much, she didn't want any new ones! But her parents kept reassuring her that she needed to give it a try, that she would make more wonderful friends. She just hoped they were right. This move was a big opportunity for her father, and she didn't want to be a downer. So she promised she would make the best of this, even though she knew it would be harder than it looked.

And now here she was, walking towards her inevitable doom. It was the last week of September, so she hadn't missed that much of school. As her and Catherine kept on walking, Mia tried mentally preparing herself for what she knew would be a tough first day. She held onto the strap of her book bag and anxiously tugged on the hem of her shirt, hoping she looked all right. She was dressed in a simple blue t-shirt with white flowers on it, jeans and sneakers. Her long, chocolate brown hair was pulled up in a high pony tail, her curls bouncing as she moved. The two of them suddenly turned a corner, and the school came into view. An average sized building, made of fading red bricks, with a painted white sign out front, and a rather large playground, where she could see all the other kids laughing and playing before homeroom. Mia bit her lip, trying to hide the fact that see was shaking from head to foot. There's so many kids here, what if they don't like her? Forcing herself to get a grip, Mia took her mother's hand and followed her across the street towards the main entrance of the building. When they entered, her mother led her to the office that was on the right hand side, where an elderly lady with a stern expression was sitting at the secretary's desk. As Catherine approached her, the lady looked up from her work and offered a tight smile.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

"Hello, I'm Catherine Thatcher," said Catherine politely. "I'm here to drop off my daughter Mia, this is her first day."

"Ah yes," said the lady, reaching into her desk and quickly skimming through a bunch of files until she pulled one out. "Amelia Thatcher?"

Mia scrunched up her nose at the sound of her full name while her mother nodded her head. The woman sat up from her chair and walked over to Catherine at the counter.

"Well Mrs. Thatcher, I am Mrs. Hawthorn, the school secretary," she introduced. "We have everything set up for Amelia, we just need you to sign a couple more forms, and then we will escort your daughter to her class in time for homeroom."

"Thank you," said Catherine as she took the files from Mrs. Hawthorn. While she was signing them, Mia stared around her. The hallways were very colorful, pictures and drawings decorating the walls, and just off to the left around the corner, she could see what looked like a library. She could still faintly hear the other students outside, and it made her stomach squirm. It didn't take long for her mother to finish signing the forms, and once everything was done, she bent down in front of her daughter.

"How are you feeling sweetheart?" she asked.

"Okay," Mia said softly, not completely honest with herself. Catherine offered her a small smile and took Mia's hands in her own.

"You'll be fine love," she said sweetly. "Everything seems scary on the first day of school, but just give it a chance. I know you'll start to make some friends, you are a very kind and friendly girl. Have fun today, and tell me everything about it when you get home, okay?"

Mia nodded her head and then wrapped her arms around her mother, snuggling her face into her shoulder, hiding herself under Catherine's veil of dark hair.

"I love you Mummy," she said.

"I love you too Mia," Catherine said, returning her hug and tenderly kissing the side of Mia's head. After they released each other, Catherine gently patted Mia's cheek and stood up to face Mrs. Hawthorn. Mia let go of her mother's hand and walked over to the strict looking woman, looking up at her nervously. Mrs. Hawthorn managed to give Mia a true welcoming smile, understanding how scared the little girl must be. She held out her hand to Mia, who took it after a couple seconds. As Mrs. Hawthorn started leading her away, Mia looked over her shoulder back at Catherine, who was still smiling and giving her an encouraging wave. She fell out of sight when they rounded the corner and Mia felt her nerves increase. Desperately trying to push them down, Mia followed Mrs. Hawthorn down a few different hallways until they came to one that was near the back of the building, closer to the playground. She noticed that this was the wing of the school for the younger students, for whenever they passed an open door, Mia would peer inside and see kids her age and younger sitting at their desks. Her eyes traveled all around as they kept walking until Mrs. Hawthorn stopped outside a classroom near the end of the hall. Mia's stomach jolted as Mrs. Hawthorn knocked on the door before entering. All the chatter that was going on inside instantly died away as they entered and Mia felt herself going red already as she saw everyone stare at her.

"Mrs. Baker, we have a new student here," said Mrs. Hawthorn. "Her name is Amelia Thatcher. I trust you will able to help her settle in class?"

"Of course Mrs. Hawthorn," said Mrs. Baker in a cheery voice. She was a pretty woman, with short blonde hair, oval glasses, and bright blue eyes. She wore a bright green skirt and white shirt, and she had a kind smile on her face as she stared at Mia. After wishing Mia good luck and to have a nice first day, Mrs. Hawthorn left the room, closing the door behind her. Mia shuffled her feet, not sure of what to do now. Mrs. Baker came over and kneeled down in front of Mia, that smile still on her face.

"It's very nice to meet you Amelia," she said. "My name is Mrs. Baker, I'm going to be your teacher. Would you like to meet the rest of the class?"

Mia nodded slowly, her blush still on her face and Mrs. Baker stood to her feet, gently nudging Mia to the front of the class so everyone could see her properly.

"Everyone, this is our new student that will be joining our class," she introduced. "This is Amelia Thatcher, her family just moved here. Can everyone say hi?"

"Hi Amelia," came a chorus of voices.

"Is there anything you want to tell us about yourself Amelia?" asked Mrs. Baker. Mia made herself look up at the class and swallowed the lump in her throat.

"W-well…" she said. "My name's Amelia, but I like to be called Mia, and um…I love horses."

"That's very nice Mia," said Mrs. Baker. "Now why don't you go take a seat in the back next to Cindy. Cindy, could you please raise your hand?"

A girl with dirty blonde hair and brown eyes sitting near the back shot her hand up in the air, an excited smile on her face. Mia walked towards her, trying to ignore all the stares she was receiving. She saw that everyone was grouped together in sets of four, connecting their desks to make tables. Along with Cindy, there was another girl with chestnut brown hair and matching eyes, and a boy with untidy jet black hair and stunning emerald green eyes. Somehow this boy stood out among the rest of the students. He seemed a little…odd. He wore really baggy clothes that were much too big for him, and he had round glasses that were held together by scotch tape. But what really caught Mia's attention was that he looked so _sad._ He was staring at his desk, a glum expression on his face, and he was very pale. Mia kept her gaze on him as she took a seat next to Cindy, wondering what had happened to make him look so miserable.

"Hi Mia," said Cindy. "My name is Cindy Jones, and this is Mary Willows."

"Um, hi," said Mia quietly.

"Where did you move from?" Cindy asked.

"My family and I came from Kent," said Mia, noticing that neither Cindy nor Mary had introduced the boy at all.

"Do you like it here?"

"I've only been here a week, but it seems okay so far," replied Mia, thinking longingly of the comforts of her old home.

"This is a really good school, and I can show you around if you want," Cindy suggested eagerly, bouncing in her seat a little, a grin on her face. "We can be friends!"

"Oh, um, I think I would like that," said Mia, allowing a smile to grow on her face. Cindy was definitely hyper and energetic, but Mia was happy she was trying to be her friend and was thankful Cindy was being so nice to her. Maybe her mother was right, maybe today wouldn't be so bad after all. The girls didn't really get much time to talk after that, for Mrs. Baker started the lesson and they had to listen to pay attention. At some point during the discussion, Mia looked over at the boy sitting across from her and saw that he was still looking a little down. She bit her lip like she had done earlier, undecided. Mia was always shy and never really talked to people first, but something about this boy made her want to comfort him. Checking to make sure Mrs. Baker wasn't looking their way and had her back to them, Mia leaned forward slightly.

"Hi there," she whispered. The boy gave a sudden jerk and looked at her with wide eyes, as if he couldn't believe she was talking to him. He stared at her for a moment, not saying a word, and Mia fidgeted with her hands.

"My name is Mia," she continued to whisper. "What's yours?"

Again, the boy seemed to be too stunned to speak. Mia felt her face grow red again, and she was just wondering if the boy could talk at all when he spoke, so quietly it was a miracle she could even hear him.

"Harry," he muttered. "My name is Harry."

"It's nice to meet you Harry," she said Mia, giving him a friendly smile. She turned her attention back to Mrs. Baker and the blackboard, not realizing that Harry kept staring at her, nor seeing that ghost of a smile that crossed his face or understanding how her kind gesture made his entire day. Everything was silent while Mrs. Baker talked, and after a few more minutes, Mia caught sight of something out of the corner of her eye flying past and hitting Harry in the side of the head. She looked over to see it was a spit ball the size of a small peanut. Harry didn't really have a reaction to it, but she knew he noticed because his frown grew deeper. The sound of muffled laughter reached her ears and Mia looked over at another table not far from theirs to see a huge blonde boy snickering with a scrawny rat faced kid, pointing in Harry's direction. A scowl appeared in Mia's face and her lips pressed into a line as she stared at them. If there was one thing Mia couldn't stand, it was bullies. She had been picked on a lot when she was younger, and didn't like seeing anyone suffer like she did. What was their problem, Harry did nothing to them. The rest of the lesson passed on slowly until they all had to move onto their next class together that was in the room next door. Mia stood up and was about to go over to Harry, but Cindy took her hand and pulled her over to the door.

The day went by a little slow, but Mia didn't really mind. Being in all the classes with Cindy, Mia had learned a lot about her. During Art they would sit and talk while painting, even laughing once in a while. Eventually all her nerves left her and Mia was happy she was getting along with Cindy. When it was time for lunch, Mia grabbed her brown bag from her back pack and followed Cindy to the cafeteria. Together they took a seat at a small table with Mary and some of Cindy's other friends. Mia was introduced to Preston, Mike, and Julia. While they all talked and ate their lunch, Mia looked to her right and saw Harry sitting all by himself in a corner of the room, picking at his food. Mia instantly felt sad for him.

"Why is Harry sitting all by himself?" she asked.

"You mean Harry Potter?" said Mary. "He always sits by himself."

"Yeah, he's a weirdo," added Mike. "The only clothes he wears are Dudley's."

"Who?"

"Dudley Dursley," answered Cindy. "He's Harry's cousin, and he hates him. He and his friends always bully him and hit him, they never let anyone play with him."

"That's really mean!" said Mia.

"Yeah, but who would want to hang out with him anyway? He's freaky," said Mike.

"That's not a very nice thing to say," Mia huffed, crossing her arms. "How do you know he's freaky?"

"Dudley says he is, and he has weird glasses and that scar on his forehead," replied Mike.

"_I_ don't think he's freaky," said Mia. "He looks normal to me."

She looked over at Harry to see him nibbling at his sandwich and her heart went out to him. He was so sad, and she knew better than anyone how alone he must feel. In all their classes, she saw that no one really wanted to be with him, or wanted to talk to him. If Cindy was right, maybe no one wanted to play with him because of his cousin. Mia thought that wasn't right. Poor Harry needs some friends so he's not so alone. Her parents always told her it was good to do nice things for other people. Having her mind made up, Mia took her lunch and got to her feet.

"I'm going to go sit with him," she told Cindy.

"But why?" asked Cindy. "What if Dudley sees you?"

"So?" said Mia. "Harry looks really lonely, and maybe his cousin will leave him alone if I'm there."

The rest of the table gawked at her but Mia ignored them and started making her way towards Harry. Once she reached him, she gently tapped his shoulder, causing him to nearly jump out of his seat. He whipped around to face her, his eyes wide and slightly fearful, but when he saw who it was, he relaxed a little bit. Mia smiled at him.

"Hi Harry," she said.

"Uh, h-hi Mia," he said quiet, shrinking into himself.

"Can I sit with you?" she asked him. Harry's eyes once again widened and he had a look of disbelief on his face.

"Y-you want to sit with me?" he said. "Why?"

"You look really lonely, and I thought we could swap lunches," said Mia. Harry peered over his shoulder nervously, and Mia followed his gaze to see that he was looking at the big blonde boy who was throwing spit balls at him earlier. That must be his cousin. Dudley Dursley was glaring at Harry and Mia, as were his friends, but Mia glared back. Giving another huff, she turned back to Harry.

"So can I?" she asked. Harry's cheeks went pink and he slowly nodded. Mia positively beamed at him, making his blush darker, and sat down in the seat across from him. She eagerly opened her bag and started taking things out. She saw that Harry didn't have very much, just a sandwich, apple, and mac and cheese. Mia's mother always over packed her lunch, so she always had extra and Harry looked really hungry. Unwrapping her cookies and grapes, Mia handed them over to Harry.

"Here you go Harry," she said. "You can have these."

"What?" said Harry, completely bewildered.

"Don't you want to trade?" asked Mia with a hint of a small frown. "I'll give you these for your apple if you want. And I have two juice boxes."

"Mia, you don't have to…"

"I want to," she countered brightly. "So you better eat up mister."

Mia grinned at him, and, after a couple silent minutes, Harry's lips curved up into a small timid smile, and Mia felt her heart soar. She got him to smile! Deep in her subconscious, Mia made it her new mission to make him smile all the time. Harry thanked her and took the food she offered him and handed her his apple. The two of them fell into a more comfortable silence, eating their meal and enjoying each other's company. Mia started talking about her old home in Kent, her family, friends, and her worries about moving to Surrey. The minute she said this, Harry asked her where in Surrey she lived. When she told him she lived on Privet Drive, for a second she could have sworn Harry's eyes lit up in excitement, and he said that was where he lived too. Time seemed to fly by and soon it was time to go outside for recess. The two children walked out of the building together, still talking, and out into the warm, sunny day. Mia's chest swelled up in excitement as she caught sight of the swings and she grabbed Harry's hand.

"Come on Harry!" she said enthusiastically. "Let's go on the swings!"

Harry smiled and ran with her over to the swings before they would all be taken. They took the last two at the end and Mia giggled as she sat down, gripping onto the sides. Harry sat down next to her and then they began swinging back and forth. Mia was glad to see Harry so happy. It was as if he didn't know how to laugh or smile, and this was all new to him.

"So how old are you Harry?" asked Mia as she kept swinging.

"I'm eight," said Harry.

"I'm eight too!" said Mia. "When is your birthday?"

Mia instantly wished she hadn't asked, because Harry's face suddenly fell, and he had that gloomy look back on his face. Worried she had upset him, Mia dug her feet into the ground and forced the swing to stop.

"I'm sorry Harry, I didn't mean to make you sad," said Mia.

"No, it's okay Mia," said Harry. "My birthday was in July."

"Oh. Well, Happy Late Birthday Harry," said Mia, attempting to give him a cheerful smile. "I promise I'll get you something next time."

"You don't have to Mia, no one ever does," said Harry.

"What?" gasped Mia. "No one gives you presents on your birthday?"

Harry's head shot up and he looked horrified, as if he had just realized what he said. His face flushed a dark shade of red and he stared down hard at his shoes. Mia couldn't help but stare at him with her mouth open. How can someone not get any presents on her birthday? Surely his parents would get him something, right? Before Mia could ask, she heard the sound of heavy breathing and loud footsteps coming towards them. In the nest moment, Harry was being roughly pushed out of the swing and into the dirt beneath him.

"Harry!" cried Mia, jumping off her own swing to bend down next to him. "Are you okay?"

Harry nodded, spitting dirt out of his mouth and straightening his glasses. Howling laughter came from behind them and Mia spun around to see Dudley Dursley and his little gang cackling relentlessly at Harry. Glaring at the big oaf, Mia helped Harry to his feet and helped brush the dirt off his shirt.

"Why did you do that?" said Mia angrily.

"Because I wanted to," said Dudley.

"That was really mean! Why don't you leave him alone?"

"Who's gonna make me?" laughed Dudley. Mia took her place in front of Harry, staying firmly in place.

"I will," said Mia, feeling braver than she felt. Her actions shocked her, but she didn't show it. Never ever has she ever had the guts to really stand up to someone. Dudley looked like he could squash her if he really wanted to, and if he was brave enough to hit a girl. Mia wasn't one for resolving to fights, but when it came to the people she cared about, she was ready to take on any blow for them. Even though she has barely known Harry for two hours, she felt a strange connection to him somehow, as if they were kindred spirits in some way. Both lonely outcasts of sorts. All Mia knew was that she didn't want her new friend to be getting hurt, especially by his own cousin. Dudley Dursley frowned at her.

"You think I'm scared of a girl?" he said.

"Just leave Harry alone," said Mia firmly.

"Mia, don't," Harry whispered. "I don't want you to get hurt…"

"Why do you want to hang out with the freak anyway?" said Dudley. "He's so stupid and weird, he doesn't even have any parents!"

Mia's eyes widened slightly and she glanced over at Harry. He went completely red and he stared down at the ground, but not before she caught sight of tears in his eyes. She turned back to Dudley and kept on glaring at him.

"Just go away," said Mia in a low voice.

"Make me," Dudley shot back. "Just get out of the way so I can get to my freaky cousin!"

"He is not a freak!" Mia shouted, her hands clenching into fists.

"_Freak, freak, Potter is a freak!_" Dudley started to sing, his friends joining in. "_Freak, freak, Potter is a-_"

Dudley and his friends never got to finish, for at that moment, there was a loud _**crack**_ from high above them. Everyone looked up to see that one of the branches from the tree standing over them had broken off and was plummeting down towards the ground. Dudley let out a girlish squeal and quickly leapt out of the way mere seconds before the branch came crashing down where he had been standing. He and his friends ran away, all screaming and flaying their arms about. Mia blinked a couple times, staring at the branch in front of her. What just happened? That branch could have fallen on Dudley and he could've gotten hurt. A part of her wished it had, but she was glad it didn't at the same time. After taking a calming breath, she turned back to Harry.

"Are you okay Harry?" she asked the small boy. Harry only nodded his head, staring at the branch with wide eyes. Mia gave him another smile and once again took his hands in hers, leading him over to the base of the tree. They both sat down on the soft grass next to each other, leaning up against the trunk. For a moment neither one of them said anything, just enjoying the warm breeze that came their way. Then, Harry spoke.

"Thank you," he said softly.

"For what?" asked Mia.

"For sticking up for me," said Harry. "No one has ever stood up for me before, they are always scared of Dudley."

"You're welcome Harry, he was just being a big meanie." Mia hesitated before continuing. "Is…is what Dudley said true? Do you not have parents?"

"No," replied Harry, staring at his shoes. "My mum and dad died in a car crash when I was a baby. That's why I have to live with Dudley and my aunt and uncle."

"Are they mean to you too?" Mia asked. Harry didn't answer her. She felt a wave of sadness pass through her. Mia knew what it was like to lose someone close to you. Her grandma had died last year, and it still makes her upset sometimes. Wanting to comfort him, Mia took his hand in hers and didn't let go, giving it a squeeze. Harry looked down at their hands and then slowly looked up at her until she was staring straight into his pretty green eyes. Her gaze went up to his forehead for a moment, where she could see a thin scar shaped like a bolt of lightning. She looked back into his face and smiled.

"I know you miss your mummy and daddy," she said. "My grandma died too, and I miss her all the time. But I know she loved me, and I know your parents loved you too. It'll be okay Harry, I promise."

Harry stared at her for about a minute, then he smiled back at her, his eyes glowing.

"Mia?" he said. "Um…would you…would you like to be my friend?"

Mia's smile grew into an excited grin and without a second thought she threw herself at Harry, wrapping her arms around him and holding him close. Harry stiffened in her arms, shocked at this unfamiliar form of affection. No one had ever hugged him before. Before he could recover from his shock, Mia released him and beamed at him.

"No Harry, I don't want to be your friend," said Mia. "I want to be your _best _friend."

The expression on the little boy's face could only be described as one of pure happiness and excitement.

"Thanks Mia," he said. "I…I really like you."

"I like you too Harry," said Mia. All of a sudden she smiled evilly, her sapphire blue eyes twinkling, and before Harry could blink, Mia gave him a soft shove and then darted to her feet and sprinted away.

"Tag, you're it!" she called over her shoulder. Harry laughed and then jumped to his feet, chasing after her.

They spent all of recess playing tag, and Mia quickly learned that Harry was much faster than he seemed. She only managed to catch him a few times while he caught her every single time after only a few minutes. Soon enough both children were rolling around on the grass, holding their stomachs from laughing so hard. Mia flung herself on top of Harry, pinning him down and grinning mischievously, giggling loudly. Harry smiled up at her, looking happier than he had been in years. To their dismay, the school bell sounded, signaling the end of their playtime. Mia helped Harry back to his feet and they walked hand in hand back inside the building.

The day passed by too quickly for Mia's liking. The rest of her classes were with Mrs. Baker, and this time, she spent them talking and working together with Harry. While in math, he helped her with numbers while she helped him with his writing. Dudley and his gang kept pulling sour faces the whole time, but neither really seemed to notice or even care. All in all, it was a very fun day until the last bell of the day sounded. Students rushed to the cubby to grab their bags and all raced out the door to head for the buses or to be picked up by their parents outside. Mia and Harry grabbed all of their things and followed everyone else outside. Mia couldn't see her mother in the crowd, so she decided to wait with Harry. After a couple minutes, a thin, blonde woman with a face like a horse came over to them, a scowl on her face as she held Dudley's hand.

"Come on now boy!" she snapped. "We haven't got all day."

"Yes Aunt Petunia," Harry said glumly before turning to Mia. "I'll see you later Mia."

"Okay, bye Harry," Mia said softly. Harry followed his aunt and cousin through the crowd and Mia saw them get into a car and drive away, with Harry waving sadly through the window. Mia watched them go, feeling a little worried about her friend. Harry's aunt doesn't look like she likes him very much. She hoped he would be all right. Mia was suddenly snapped out of her thoughts by a voice calling her name.

"Mia!"

Mia swerved around to see Catherine emerging from the crowd, a bright smile lighting up her face. Mia hastily ran over and threw herself in her mother's arms, holding onto her tightly and smiling as well. Catherine picked Mia up off the ground and held her baby girl close, kissing the top of her head. After she put Mia back down, she bent in front of her and took hold of her hands.

"So how was your first day sweetie?" she asked.

"It was really fun Mummy!" said Mia excitedly. "I had fun in my classes, I met a nice girl named Cindy, and I already made a new friend!"

"That's wonderful Mia," gushed Catherine happily. "I'm so happy for you darling."

"His name's Harry, he's lots of fun, and he's smart too," said Mia. "But his cousin is mean to him a lot, he was picking on Harry today."

"The poor dear, did you cheer him up?"

"Uh huh," said Mia proudly. "We played tag at recess and I made him smile."

"That's great Mia," said Catherine. "Come on, let's go home and you can tell me and Daddy everything you did today."

Mia nodded eagerly as she grasped Catherine's hand and let her lead her out of the bustling crowd and adults and children. Following Catherine over to the car, Mia couldn't stop thinking about the curious Potter boy who had become her friend. Everyone made him out to be weird, and a freak. But Harry wasn't any of those things. He was kind, smart, and there was something about him that made him special. Mia wasn't sure what, but she could feel it. When her and her mother got home, Mia went outside to play in the yard while Catherine started to make dinner. She ran around on the grass, kicking her soccer ball around and playing with her skipping rope. Occasionally she would stop to smell the lovely flowers that were growing in the surrounding bushes. By the time she went back inside, it was starting to get dark and she knew her father would be home soon. Mia brought her back pack over to the kitchen table to get started on her homework. Catherine would fly around the kitchen making the finishing touches on dinner and stop by beside Mia once in a while to make sure she didn't need any help. At about have past six, they heard the sound of the front door opening and Mia immediately perked up, jumping down from her chair and running out into the living room just Ben came inside.

"Daddy!" she cried.

"Hey princess!" he said, a grin coming across his dimpled face as he bent down and scooped Mia up into his arms. He blew loud raspberries on her face and tickled her stomach, causing her to erupt in a fit of giggles. Ben carried her back into the kitchen where he walked over to Catherine and gave her a sweet kiss in the lips.

"Hello love," he said.

"Hello," she said, smiling. "Busy day at the office?"'

"Is there ever not?" he chuckled as he set Mia back down in the chair. "So how was your first day of school Mia?"

"It was great Daddy," said Mia. "I already made a new friend."

"Really? That's fantastic Mia, I told you everything would work out okay," said Ben. "What's their name?"

"His name is Harry Potter," said Mia. "He's eight years old like me, and he's really nice. We played tag, went on the swings, and did math together!"

Ben's face fell a little and he looked over at Catherine.

"I thought we wouldn't have to worry about boys for a few more years," he groaned. Catherine smiled and shook her head at him, stirring the contents that were bubbling inside the pot on the stove.

"Harry is by best friend Daddy," said Mia. "There are other nice kids there, but Harry is the best. Can he come over and play sometime? Pretty please?"

"Well, I don't know," mused Ben, smirking.

"Pleeeeeeease?" said Mia, pouting her lip and making Ben laugh.

"I suppose so," he chuckled. Mia face lit up and she thanked him over and over again. While Mia finished all her homework, she told her parents all about what she did at school, the kids she met, and how she stood up for Harry when Dudley was being mean to him. Ben was proud of her for standing up for her friend, and Catherine told Mia to be careful and not to get into any fights. After eating a good meal, Mia started feeling sleepy. Catherine sent her upstairs to take a bath and get dressed for bed. Mia trudged up the steps and cleaned up. Once that was done she brushed her teeth, slipped into a nightgown and climbed into bed as her parents came inside to tuck her in. Ben gave her a tight hug and kissed both her cheeks and Catherine tucked the covers in around her, softly kissing her forehead.

"Goodnight princess," said Ben. "We'll see you in the morning."

"Night Mummy," said Mia. "Night Daddy."

"Goodnight sweetheart," said Catherine. "We love you."

As Catherine and Ben left the room, they turned off the light switch and quietly shut the door behind them, leaving Mia encased in the darkness. Mia didn't really mind the dark, and there was light in her room anyway, shining from the moon through her window. She turned her head towards the window and smiled, thinking of the raven haired boy she had met today. Somehow, Mia knew they were going to be really great friends.

"Goodnight Harry," she whispered. The she snuggled deep into her blankets and closed her eyes, letting sleep take her.

**Please Rate and Review! Suggestions are encouraged, and any improvements as well. **


	2. The Best of Friends

**Hey Guys! Wow, I cannot believe how many favorites and follows I got just after the first chapter! I was so excited, I had to start up the second chapter. I'm really glad you all like it, it makes me happy! Sorry this chapter is a little boring, but I guess every story has to have at least one, right? Again, please inform me of any mistakes, or improvements that must be made. Give me your opinion , because that's what I like to go on. Hope you like it, enjoy!**

Chapter Two: The Best of Friends 

_Three Years Later…_

HPOV 

"Boy! Come out here!" called the gruff voice of Vernon Dursley. Harry sighed heavily as he rolled himself up into a sitting position on his bed, a frown on his face. He moodily opened the cupboard door and stepped out into the hallway, closing it behind him. Shuffling his feet, Harry went into the kitchen to find his Uncle Vernon standing by the table, fixing his tie in the mirror on the wall and his Aunt Petunia making breakfast. He turned around as Harry came in, his face, so similar to a walrus, curling into a nasty sneer.

"Comb your hair boy!" he barked at him, going back to the mirror. "And while you're at it, get the lists of chores from your aunt, you are to start as soon as breakfast is over. And it had all better be done by this afternoon! Do you understand?"

"Yes uncle Vernon," said Harry. After having a long list of chores thrust at him by Petunia, Harry took his seat at the kitchen table just as Dudley came in. While his parents weren't looking, Dudley passed by Harry and gave him a rough shove, making him fall out of his chair and onto the floor.

"What are you doing?" snapped Petunia from the stove. "Get up you lazy leech!"

Harry clutched his side as he scrambled up back to his seat, trying to ignore Dudley's snickering. When breakfast was over (which in Harry's case consisted of two pieces of toast) and Vernon left for his meeting at work, Harry got up and set to work right away on the endless list of chores he was forced to do. His day started with cleaning out every room in the house, dusting the living room, sweeping the dining room, vacuuming the hallways, wiping down the kitchen, washing the windows, cleaning out the fireplace, polishing the silver, and scrubbing the bathroom. But the fun didn't stop there, not by a longshot. As soon as he was finished with the inside of the house, Petunia had sent him outside to weed the garden and to mow the grass. At this point it was nearly midday, and Harry was feeling the strain in his muscles and the ach in his back as he ripped the weeds out of the ground. Sweat dripped down his face as he worked, the sun blazing overhead and making his stomach rumble with hunger.

Yet despite all this, Harry kept his spirits up, and thought how all of this was going to be worth it when he was finished. All throughout the day, he had been pulling double time with all the chores, wanting to get them done as soon as possible so he could finally get out of the house. His aunt and uncle struck up a deal with him a long time ago. As long as he did everything they ordered him to do in a reasonable amount of time, Harry was allowed to go outside until he had to come back to start making dinner. So every day he would get right to his chores, and when he was done, he would always head out to get some fresh air…and to meet up with Mia.

A large smile came across his face as he thought of his best and dearest friend, Mia Thatcher. She was the only person who cared for him and loved him like his family never has. Ever since that day when they met each other at school, the two of them had been practically inseparable. They would always sit next to each other in class and lunch, just talking with each other and laughing at how ridiculously stupid Dudley and his followers were. Mia was so very kind, and so very protective of him, like a sister would be. Whenever Dudley messed around with him, Mia was always there to defend him, and vice versa. At school they had each other, and at times it seemed as if that's all they would ever really need. While she couldn't do anything when they were in their own homes, she made life at Privet Drive much more bearable. Harry felt guilty for nearly everyone at school ridiculing her for being around him, she waved him off, saying that they are the weird ones, judging a boy just because he was a little different.

Mia also sometimes took on the role of a parent. Harry tried his best to keep his home life and what the Dursleys did to him a secret, not wanting to get her involved. However, he had the sinking feeling that she could tell what was happening without him having to say anything. She would sometimes raid her kitchen cabinet for some food she knew her parents wouldn't notice if it went missing, and brought them to him whenever she could. At first Harry protested, but she threatened him that she would tell her parents he wasn't eating right and gave him that dangerous glare that could make others cower in fear, daring him to argue. Reluctantly Harry agreed, but underneath, Harry was touched at how much she cared for his well-being. The two of them were as close as anyone could be, and he was thankful to have such a wonderful friend like her in his life. She would do anything for him as he would do anything for her. Eager to see her, Harry worked even faster in the garden, looking forward to seeing Mia later on.

An hour and a half later, Harry was finally all done his chores and was sprinting back inside the house to take a quick shower. When he was all cleaned up, Harry threw on some baggy jeans held up by a belt and a grey t-shirt and sneakers. He tore out of the cupboard and headed out the front door, moving quickly so Dudley wouldn't see him and decided to go back into his hobby of punching him. Harry hastily walked around the neighborhood, his feet seeming to move on their own accord as he pushed them faster. It had gotten a little cooler outside and the summer breeze carried the scent of freshly cut grass and the moisture of the recent rain. He wandered around for a while until he reached the outskirts of the dotted houses, coming upon an old deserted playground that was far enough from the peering eye. He looked around to see that no one was there and figured Mia wasn't there yet. Striding over to the bench, he sat down and anxiously waited for Mia to come. Looking above him, he saw that the sky was almost cloudless, a few puffs slowly rolled by, taking odd shapes. He continued staring up at them, so engulfed into his thoughts he didn't hear the slight rustling coming up behind him, or the crunch of pebbles. In the next moment, he felt someone leap at him from behind and clasp their hands over his eyes, making him jump out of his skin. His heart shot up his throat until he heard a familiar giggle.

"Guess who?" came a quiet and amused voice.

Harry grinned.

"Hmmm. Mary?"

"Nope."

"Cindy?

"Nah uh."

"Katie?"

"Try again."

"Dudley?"

"Okay, that's just insulting!" the person laughed, removing their hands from his eyes. Harry turned around to see a young girl standing behind him with her arms folded over her chest, playfully glaring at him. Her dark brown locks were flowing to her waist, held back from her face by a headband. Her blue eyes were sparkling and her lips were pulled up into a smirk as she stared at him.

"I may be many things Harry Potter, but do not compare me to the oversized dunderhead!" she said.

"Sorry Mia," Harry laughed.

"It's okay, I'll forgive you this time," said Mia with a wink.

"This time? Come one Mia, you can never stay mad at me," said Harry with a grin.

"Shut up," Mia giggled, walking around the bench to sit down next to him. Now that she was there, Harry reached over and gave her a proper hug, holding her close. Mia laughed again but hugged him back nonetheless. When they separated Mia shrugged off the rucksack she had been wearing and dived into it, rummaging around until she found what she was looking for. She pulled out a brown paper bag and held it out to him.

"I brought out the goods this time," she said. "All your favorites."

"I really wish you wouldn't do this," said Harry as he took the bag from her. "Your parents are bound to realize that their food is suddenly disappearing."

"Don't worry about it Harry," said Mia. "I don't do it all the time, and I usually stock up whenever my mum goes shopping. I only take the food that we've had for a while, so they don't notice when I take it. This should last for two days."

"What am I going to do with you?" muttered Harry, shaking his head.

"Love me," she answered brightly.

"That goes without saying," said Harry, opening the bag and pulling out a wrapped ham and cheese sandwich. "How's Brian doing?"

"He's good, gave my dad a hard time at breakfast this morning though," Mia replied with a smile. "Threw the oatmeal right in his face."

Harry smiled. Brian was Mia's little brother, he was only a year old and such a troublemaker. He looked a lot like Mia, only he had his mother's chocolate brown eyes instead of Mia's bright blue. Harry had seen him during the few times he has been over visiting, and Brian seemed quite taken with him. Brian always demanded that Harry play with him, and it made Mia tease him mercilessly about it. Harry loved going over Mia's house. Her parents were always so kind to him, and they made him feel welcomed each and every time. He couldn't come over much because of the Dursleys, so sometimes it was hard to see Mia, let alone play with her at her house. Mia would ask him countless times why she couldn't come over Harry's house, and why he really doesn't talk about his family much. But Harry would never tell her. As much as he loved and trusted Mia, he couldn't let her know about it. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia were already weary of the fact that Harry was spending time with Mia in school. They feared what the neighbors would think if they saw their freak of a nephew mingling with a normal child.

But the thing is, Harry didn't think he and Mia _were_ normal. Not long after they met, Harry and Mia started to confide in each other about some of their own secrets. Harry admitted that sometimes strange things happened around him. He told her about how he had somehow found himself on the roof of the school while trying to run away from Dudley, and how he had somehow turned his teacher's wig blue. He was somewhat glad that Mia had some similar experiences. She had told him when she was five, a couple boys were being mean to her, so she imagined them having the chicken pox, and sure enough the next day found both boys covered in tiny red pimples. Mia also trusted herself to tell him that she thought she might have been the one to make that tree branch fall on Dudley that day in the playground. After a while both of them brushed off the idea, stating that it was simply impossible for either of them to have done those things. But Harry couldn't help but wonder.

"So what do you want to do today?" Harry asked her.

"Well, I brought over a couple of things over with me," said Mia, reaching into the rucksack again. "It's not much, but I thought we would be occupied."

Mia took out a couple books, some pencils, markers, a notebook, sketchpad, puzzles, her skipping rope, a pack of cards, a small rubber ball, and her disposable camera. Harry leaned forward and took one of the books in his hands. While he flipped it open, Mia took her sketchpad and pencils, pulling up her legs so she was sitting Indian style. Harry smiled softly at her. One of Mia's greatest pleasures in life was drawing, and she was extremely good at it. Not professional, but she was still learning, and getting better every day. The two of them feel into a comfortable silence as they sat on the bench, Harry reading from the book and Mia scribbling on paper. After a while Harry started to grow a little bored and went to put the book down.

"Don't move!" Mia said firmly.

Harry froze where he sat, the book still in his lap, thinking there was a bug or something on him. But when he looked over at Mia, he saw that she was concentrating on her picture, looking up at him every few seconds, her pencil flying across the paper. Harry just smiled and rolled his eyes at her. He was usually Mia's favorite subject to practice on, but she rarely ever let him see her drawings because she claimed they were awful and needed improvement. He sat still for her while she worked, trying to think of a way to see what she was working on. After a few more minutes, Mia gave him the okay to move and he relaxed. When he looked over at her, he saw that she was staring hard at the paper, her eyebrows furrow and a look of disappointment growing on her face. Mia sighed heavily and when she went to put her sketchpad down, Harry took this time to act and grabbed it from her hands, quickly standing to his feet.

"Harry! What are you doing?" Mia squealed.

"You never let me look at your pictures," said Harry as he looked down at the book.

"Harry give it back!" said Mia, getting up and trying to make a grab for it. Harry kept her back with one hand while he flipped through the pages. There was some really nice pictures of all different things. There was some of the tree in her backyard, her little brother, and her parents. Some were better than others, and you could tell they were the work of a young hand, but still good nonetheless. Harry kept dancing out of Mia's reach, ignoring her cries of protest, and then Harry finally got to the last page.

There he was, sitting down on the bench, looking down at the book propped open in his lap. His black hair was all over the place, his glasses falling down the bridge of his nose, and his attention absorbed by the words in front of him. Harry couldn't help but smile. This was by far the best out of all her other ones, and she tried to get everything detail perfect, down to the last finger.

"Mia, this is great, why wouldn't you want me to see it?" he asked her as he handed the book back to her.

"It's not great," said Mia as she took it from him, a small blush creeping onto her cheeks. "They're horrible."

"No they're not," said Harry. "With more practice, you'll be the greatest artist the world's ever seen, you have a real talent."

Despite her embarrassment, Mia managed to give him a timid smile.

"Do you really think so?" she asked.

"Definitely," said Harry. Mia smiled wider at him and then went to sit back down on the bench.

"Oh Harry, my mum and dad want to know if you want to come over for dinner tomorrow," said Mia as she put her sketchpad away.

"I'm sorry, I can't," said Harry as he sat down. "Dudley's birthday is on tomorrow. I'm most likely going over Mrs. Figgs."

"I still can't believe your aunt and uncle never take you out," Mia said with a scowl. "That's not right."

"I'm used to it," said Harry with a shrug.

"That still doesn't make it right Harry," said Mia. "They should take you out on your birthday too. I don't see why you just won't let me ask my parents-"

"You and I both know the Dursleys will never let me go," said Harry.

"But if my parents talk to them-"

"No Mia," said Harry sternly. Mia frowned at him and leaned back, staring hard at the ground. There was a brief silence before Harry sighed and scooted over closer to her.

"Mia," he said. "Mia look at me."

Mia turned to face him.

"I'm sorry," said Harry. "But you know they won't let me go anywhere with you or your parents, as much as I want to. They don't like the fact that we hang out in school, and I'm just scared that if they find out how close we are they'll stop me from seeing you. It's bad enough I have to sneak around to see you"

"I know," said Mia, looking down at the ground again. "I just hate how they treat you. They act like you're a piece of dirt on the wall, and I can't stand it! I wish you could live with me so you can be happy."

Mia sighed, wiping away the tears that were starting to form in her eyes. Harry's heart went out to her, and he felt a warmth in his chest as he once again took in how much Mia cared for him. He reached over and placed his arm around her, pulling her in for a one armed hug. Mia leaned into it, resting her head against his shoulder.

"I'll be fine Mia," said Harry. "I always am."

Mia nodded but didn't respond. Harry pulled her closer and they sat there in silence for a minute. Then Harry suggested they play on the swings and Mia cheered up some. They spent the next hour seeing who could swing the highest, and then they climbed the monkey bar cage, laughing as they swung upside down from the bars. At one point Harry spun Mia round on the merry-go-round so fast that when she got off, she could barely take two steps before falling down. Harry had laughed himself silly but stopped immediately after he saw the smirk on Mia's face. Before he could even think about running, she had tackled him down to the ground and pinned him facedown.

"Mia!"

"Say it," said Mia deviously.

"Never!"

Mia grinned like a Cheshire cat and started attacking his sides, making him burst into fits of uncontrollable laughter. He tried to squirm out from under her but it was no use. Harry could feel a stitch in his side and tears in his eyes.

"O-okay!" he gasped. "M-Mia Thatcher is t-the greatest, smartest, m-most amazing girl e-ever!"

"That's a good boy," said Mia happily, ceasing her attack and standing up. Harry took a minute to catch his breath, laying down on the grass and rolling onto his side. When he could finally breathe normally again, he sat up and stared at Mia. Her triumphant smile faded slightly as he grinned at her.

"You are so going to pay for that Amelia Thatcher," he said slowly. "You forget I know all your best ticklish spots, and I can easily catch you."

"You wouldn't," said Mia with a weak laugh. Harry raised his eyebrows.

"One…" he said slyly, making Mia's face pale.

"Two…"

"Harry wait," said Mia as she took a couple steps backwards. "Can we talk about this?"

"Three!" Harry exclaimed, jumping to his feet. Mia yelped and dashed across the yard, hightailing it. Harry chased her around the playground, cornering her by blocking her way around the swings. With a sharp turn to the right, Mia fled off towards the bench, but Harry put on an extra burst of seed and with one great leap, he jumped on Mia, grabbing her around the waist and bringing her down with him.

"No!" Mia yelled, struggling. Harry wasted no time in tickling her, earning satisfaction in hearing her shrieks of laughter. Harry kept her pinned longer than she had him and he let her up after a while. Mia punched his arm while trying regain her breathing and Harry just smiled at her. Mia and Harry stayed at the playground for a while longer before it was time for both of them to start heading home. Packing up all her things, Mia set her rucksack on her back and then they left.

"At least we'll be away from Dudley next year," said Mia as they walked.

"Yeah," Harry agreed. That was something he had been looking forward to lately. While he and Mia were going to Stonewell High, a secondary school, Dudley will be going to Uncle Vernon's old private school, Smeltings. Having Dudley being away from them was joyous news, and Harry was relieved that he wouldn't be around to keep harassing Mia at school anymore for hanging out with him. The sun was just starting to dip down towards the distant hill and beyond, the blue color of the sky slowly fading into more of a rosy pink. As soon as they reached Privet Drive and came to Mia's house, Harry stopped and turned to his friend.

"I guess I'll see you in school on Monday?" he asked her.

"Of course," said Mia with a smile. "Try not to miss me too much."

"I probably won't."

"Hey!" said Mia, slapping his arm. Harry laughed and took her into his arms, trying to prolong going back to the Dursleys as long as possible. Mia hugged him back just as tight, resting her chin on his shoulder.

"Thanks again Mia," said Harry.

"You're welcome Harry," she replied. "I'll see you later okay?"

"Okay," he said. Mia turned around and he watched her as she walked up the path to her front door and stepped inside her house. She gave him one last wave before shutting the door behind her, and Harry felt the gloom come back and settle in his stomach. Well, the fun was good while it lasted. With a heavy heart, Harry made his way back to Number Four, where he was sure there was a pan and stove with his name written all over it.

MPOV 

Mia sighed as she closed the door to her house behind her, not looking forward to the day Harry will have to face tomorrow. Those stupid Dursleys! She hated how they treated her best friend, and even though Harry never told her exactly what went on in his house, she knew it wasn't good. Mia didn't like the sense of helplessness she felt when it came to Harry, and she already promised him she wouldn't go blabbing to anyone. There were times when she wanted to smack herself for making that promise, but what else could she do? Harry meant so much to her, she didn't want to lose him. Sighing again, Mia turned to go upstairs when she heard her mother's voice.

"Mia, is that you?" called Catherine.

"Yes, it me Mum," Mia called. "I'm going to head upstairs."

"No, come in here first dear, you have a visitor."

A visitor? Who would want to come and see her? She wasn't expecting anybody to come over tonight. This sparked Mia curiosity, and she walked down the hallway to the living room. Sitting down on the sofa were her mother and father, who was holding Brian on his lap, bouncing him. Brian perked up when he saw his sister, clapping his hands together.

"Mia! Mia!" he cried excitedly. Mia smiled, but when she looked over to the figure sitting in the armchair, her smile faltered. Sitting there was an elderly woman with pitch black hair that was held back in a tight bun, square glasses, and a very stern expression. Mia instant thought was not to mess with this woman. She wore long emerald green robes that touched the floor, along with a cloak with silver fastenings. Upon Mia entering the room, the woman stood up from the chair and came over to Mia, holding out her hand.

"Hello Miss Thatcher," said the woman. "My name is Minerva McGonagull."

"Oh um, It's nice to meet you Mame," said Mia as she shook her hand. She noticed a long shiny piece of wood that looked like a stick peeking out of McGonagull's robes.

"I know that this does seem like a rather strange visit, but if you could sit down with your parents, I will explain everything."

Mia did as she was asked and took a seat next to Catherine, who wrapped her arm around her daughter's waist, staring at the strange woman apprehensively. McGonagull sat back down in the armchair and faced the family.

"As I had said to your parents upon my arrival Miss Thatcher, I am here to offer you a place at a special school that I teach at," said McGonagull. "This decision is completely voluntary, but I am here to explain it more thoroughly to you, as I'm sure you will not understand at first. The school I teach at is called Hogwarts, and it is a very special school were children like you come to learn more about you talents. You have been accepted at this school and, if you wish, you may come and study there this coming September."

"Hogwarts?" said Catherine. "I've never heard of a school called Hogwarts."

"Neither have I," said Ben curiously.

"Most people haven't," said McGonagull, nodding her head. "It's location is completely discreet due to security reasons."

"What makes this school so special?" asked Mia. McGonagull turned to her and Mia could have sworn she saw her lips twitching.

"It is special," said McGonagull. "Because it is a school of magic."

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	3. Magic and Letters

**Good day my lovely readers. I present to you the third chapter of You Were Always There, and I do hope you like it. I'm sorry if it's a little short, I promise the next one will be longer. Any questions, comments, or concerns, just let me know! Love you all, and happy reading! **

Chapter Three: Magic and Letters

MPOV

There was a deafening silence at McGonagall's words, and the atmosphere around them had grown uncomfortably tense. For a moment Mia appeared completely and utterly stumped, her mind going blank. Surely this was some kind of joke, right? McGonagall had to be joking? Magic isn't real! The mere idea of it was something only little kids were meant to believe in bedtime stories. She glanced at her parents and saw they looked just as confused and disbelieving as she did. Catherine looked as if she were trying to figure McGonagall out while Ben seemed downright puzzled. After a few minutes the silence was broken by Brian's sudden cry of "Da!" and patting Ben's face, apparently not liking how quiet things were. This seemed to have snapped the Thatcher's attention back to the matter, for they both blinked and stared inquiringly at the elder woman.

"I'm sorry Professor McGonagall," said Catherine slowly. "But did you say a school for _magic?_"

"Indeed I did," said McGonagall.

"But that's not possible," Catherine murmured. "There is no such thing as magic."

"I assure you Mrs. Thatcher, it is," said McGonagall, reaching into the pocket of her robes and pulling out the wooden stick. "With your consent, I would like to demonstrate some of this magic for you?"

For a moment, they all stared at her, but then Catherine glanced at her husband before giving a small nod, a doubtful expression on her face. Professor McGonagall gave the stick a simple wave and then, to Mia's astonishment, the wooden coffee table in separating them started to levitate a couple feet off the floor, along with making the candy pieces that were in a glass bowl on top start dancing in a circle. Catherine gave a soft gasp, covering her mouth with her hand and jumping slightly in her seat. Ben's eyes became as wide as saucers and Mia was honestly surprised he didn't drop Brian on the floor in shock, his mouth gaping open. Mia's insides were spinning in slight fear and bewilderment, hardly daring to believe what she was seeing. Moving slowly, she inched her way off the sofa and bent down onto her knees in front of the table. With a quivering hand, Mia tentatively reached out and felt the area underneath the floating table, seeing if there was the small chance that this was some kind of illusion and something was holding it up. To her shock and amazement, she felt nothing but air. Mia quickly withdrew her hand as if it had been burned and scampered back onto the sofa, inching closer to her mother. Professor McGonagall gently set the table back down onto the floor and placed the candies back inside the bowl one by one. The family sat there, absolutely God smacked, for what felt like forever before Mia swallowed and stared at the professor.

"That was incredible!" she gasped, her voice laced with awe.

"Thank you Miss Thatcher," said McGonagall. "At Hogwarts, you will learn to do that and so much more under the proper instruction, if you should decide to go."

"And Mia has been accepted into this school?" asked Catherine in a whisper, lowering her hand from her mouth. "But that would mean she's-"

"A witch," finished McGonagall with another nod. "Miss Thatcher's name has been down in our registry ever since she was born."

"But that can't be," said Catherine, shaking her head. "How can Mia be a witch? She hasn't done any magic!"

"On the contrary," countered McGonagall. "Mia has shown signs of magic at an early age. Tell me Miss Thatcher, have there ever been times were strange and sometimes unexplainable things seemed to happen around you when you were angry or scared?"

Mia looked at Professor McGonagall and pondered over her words. She remembered all the things she had mentioned to Harry, all the weird things that happened in which she suspected she was the cause of. And oddly enough, they have all occurred during a time when she was feeling upset or angry. She nodded her head, her eyes growing wide.

"There have been times," Mia whispered. "At my old school some kids were being mean to me, and I said that I hoped they would get chicken pox. Then they next day they came in with red scabs all over. And a few years ago when we moved here, a couple kids were being really awful to my best friend, and I got so angry, then the next thing I knew, a branch from the tree broke off and almost landed on the kids."

Everyone was silent for a minute while McGonagall smiled.

"But couldn't that have been a coincidence?" asked Catherine.

"I don't think so Cat," said Ben slowly, speaking for the first time. "Do you remember when Mia was younger? When she was three she climbed a tree in the park and when she fell, she seemed to bounce off a flower bed that came out of nowhere? And when she was six she was in time out in her room and that plate of cookies somehow got in there and we thought she just snuck down to take them? My office was facing the stairs, she never left her room."

"All signs of accidental magic," said McGonagall. "It is quite normal in the Wizarding World for children with magical qualities to be born into a Muggle family."

"Muggle?" said Mia.

"It's what we call non-magic folk," McGonagall explained. "These Muggleborn children are introduced to our world upon receiving their acceptance letter. Which, I believe it is time for you to read."

McGonagall once again reached into her robes and pulled out a thick yellowish envelope with emerald green writing on it. She handed it out to Mia, who accepted it with shaking fingers. She eagerly opened the letter and two pieces of parchment rolled out onto her lap. Picking up the first one, Mia unfolded it and began reading out loud so her parents could hear.

_**HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY**_

_**Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE**_

_**(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)**_

_**Dear Miss Thatcher,**_

_**We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.**_

_**Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.**_

_**Yours sincerely,**_

_**Minerva McGonagall,**_

_**Deputy Headmistress**_

Thousands upon thousands of questions were all exploding in Mia's head and her throat suddenly went dry. She wordlessly passed the letter to her mother and turned to Professor McGonagall.

"Is…is this all really true Professor?" asked Mia. "Am I really a witch?"

"Yes Miss Thatcher," McGonagall replied gently. "I know you are receiving your letter very early into the summer, but as this is quite a drastic change for you and your family, and this is admittedly a lot to take in, we wanted to make sure you had plenty of time to think this over and discuss this before coming to a final decision. Mr. and Mrs. Thatcher, I understand how this must be to you, but I am here to answer any questions you may have for me."

The questions and concerns came shooting out of Catherine and Ben's mouths in a never-ending stream. Where was the school? How much would it cost? When would they be able to see her? What were the basic rules of the magical government? How could they keep in contact? Where would they be able to buy all of her supplies? Professor McGonagall answered all of their questions patiently and accurately, assuring them that Hogwarts is the best magical school in all of Britain, and that Mia would be perfectly safe there. She also told them of the Christmas and Easter holidays, and that Mia had the option of spending them at home, or at the school. They spoke of transferring their Muggle money in for wizard money at Gringotts in Diagon Ally, which, should they agree for Mia to go, she would accompany them to help them gather all of Mia's school supplies. Mia listened to the conversation with rapt attention, her nerves and worries fading away with everything McGonagall said, being replaced with curiosity and excitement. The Wizarding World intrigued her, and she wanted to find out as much as she possibly could. However, while her parents talked, a sudden thought came to her, making her heart sink and her excitement be extinguished.

"Um, Professor McGonagall?" she said quietly.

"Yes?"

"I-I'm not so sure if I can go," said Mia.

"Why is that?" asked McGonagall. Mia bit her lip.

"I don't think I would be able to leave Harry," she said softly. McGonagall grew silent and her eyes widened slightly.

"Harry who?" she said slowly.

"Harry Potter," said Mia. "He's my best friend. Even more than that, he's like a brother to me, and I don't want to leave him all alone. I can't."

Her face became sad at the end, but her voice was determined. While the idea of being a witch excited her and the thought of going to such a wonderful school to learn magic was unbelievable, she didn't think she could abandon her dear friend. If what McGonagall said was true, and they were under no circumstances allowed to tell anyone about Hogwarts or magic in general, that would mean she would have to leave Harry with those rotten Dursleys all alone to suffer. She couldn't do that to him, she just couldn't! She promised him she would always be there, and she had every intention of keeping that promise. As her mind was thinking all of this, McGonagall stared at her in mild shock for a minute or two, then her face softened and she gave Mia another small smile.

"I usually do not speak about the information of other students," she said. "But I know for a fact that Harry Potter has been accepted to Hogwarts as well."

Mia's head shot up at this bit of news, and a grin started to creep across her face, her sapphire eyes glowing.

"Really?" she said, beaming. "He's a wizard?"

"Indeed he is," answered McGonagall. "His letter will arrive sometime next month, although I would advise you not to tell him. Students find it a much better surprise when they receive the letters for themselves. Now, what other questions can I answer for you?"

After an hour or so, Catherine and Ben were done with questions, and McGonagall looked at the clock on the wall, saying it was time for her to get going. By this time, Brian had dozed off on Ben's shoulder, his face snuggled up against his neck. Ben shifted him slightly as he stood from the sofa to shake McGonagall's hand, along with Catherine. Mia stood up too as McGonagall held out her hand.

"It was a pleasure meeting you Miss Thatcher," she said.

"You too Professor," said Mia. "Thank you so much for everything."

"You're quite welcome, I hope to be receiving a reply from you soon. Goodnight."

Without another word, McGonagall turned from the living room and left out the front door into the dark night. Mia stood rooted to the spot, her mind still processing everything that has happened. She looked over to where her parents were to see Catherine taking Brian from Ben's arms, saying she was going to put him to bed, and then they would talk. When she left the room, Mia felt extremely awkward and nervous, and she started playing with the hem of her shirt, staring at the floor. What do her parents think about all of this? They were just as shocked as she was, maybe even more. Will they want her to go to this school? Or will they say it's out of the question and refuse to send her there? Something horrible was plaguing the back of her mind, no matter how hard she thought against it. What if Catherine and Ben don't see her the same way anymore? She saw the uncertainty in their eyes when they had been told she was a witch. Would they become so scared that they wouldn't love her the same way anymore?

"Dad?" Mia said softly.

"Yes love?"

"Will…will you and Mum still love me if I went to school to learn magic?" asked Mia, trying to keep her voice from cracking and shaking. She kept her gaze on the floor, her eyes becoming wet. She could hear her father's footsteps coming towards her, but she didn't look up at him. Ben placed his hands on her shoulders and bent down on one knee in front of her. His touch made her lift her head until her eyes were level with his, blue staring into blue.

"Amelia Marie Thatcher," said Ben, his tone firm, but kind. "Do you really think just because you're a witch your mother and I would love you any less?"

Mia didn't answer, but instead hung her head as a couple tears slid down her cheek. Ben sighed and took hold of her chin, moving it back up so he could see her. He used his thumb to wipe away her tears.

"Mia," he said soothingly. "We love you more than anything in this world, you and Brian are our entire lives. It doesn't matter if you're a witch, or a troll, or even a hag. You're still our baby girl, and nothing will ever change that. Whatever decision we make, we'll make it together as a family."

"I just-I always knew there was something different about me," Mia sniffed. "Now that we know, I was afraid…"

"Mia, we always thought you were special," said Ben with a smile. "This just makes you even more special. Sweetheart, there is nothing to be ashamed of."

"Your father's right sweetheart."

Catherine was standing in the doorframe, watching them with a gentle smile on her face. She walked towards them and also got down on one knee, just like her husband.

"Mia, we couldn't be more proud of you," said Catherine. "I know it's going to take a while for us all to get used to this, but we'll get through it together, okay? We love you so much Mia, and we always will."

"I love you guys too," aid Mia, her lips twitching into a smile. She leaned in and wrapped her arms around both of their neck, holding them close. Catherine and Ben embraced her tightly, and the little family stayed there for a while, just holding each other and not needing anything else. Mia's heart felt like it could float right up and out of her chest, and her happiness consumed her. Even though they still had to talk it over, knowing her parents still accepted her even though she was different meant more to Mia than anything. She couldn't believe she might go to a school to learn how to be a witch! And Harry was a wizard! This is so incredible. It would be hard not telling him about it until he got his letter, but she couldn't wait until he did. The thought of her and Harry going to Hogwarts was great, and she looked forward to seeing him tomorrow at school.

…...

However, Mia's excitement of seeing Harry was short-lived. He didn't turn up for school the next day, and Mia was unsettled for some reason. Sure, Harry misses some school here and there, due to the fact his aunt and uncle ground him over every little thing, but it just nerved her. During lunch she noticed that Dudley was acting odd and jumpy. She overheard him talking to all of his friends about how he and his parents went to the zoo for his birthday, and somehow a giant snake got loose and tried to bit his leg off. Mia rolled her eyes at him. That boy always had some stupid fake story to tell to get attention. Maybe she would talk to Harry tomorrow to see if it was true.

Only he didn't come. Nor did he come the day after that, or the day after that. After a week had gone by, Mia started to become increasingly worried, and she thought of the worst. Where was he? Did something happen to him? At the beginning of the following week, Mia was starting to get scared, and it got to a point where she had to gather her courage to knock on Number Four's door right after school. Soon the door opened to reveal Petunia Dursley, and the minutes she saw Mia, her expression turned into one of distaste.

"I'm sorry to bother you Mrs. Dursley," said Mia. "I was just wondering if Harry was okay. He hasn't been to school in a while."

"The boy is fine, and it has nothing to do with you!" Mrs. Dursley said sharply. "Our business is not yours to meddle with. Now run along and don't come knocking again."

With that said, Mrs. Dursley shut the door in Mia's face. Mia stood there for a moment, her concern growing tremendously. _Harry, where are you? _

The last day of school came and went, and in the first week of the summer holidays, Mia had made up her mind that she was going to wait for Harry one more day at the park and if he didn't show up, she was going to voice her concerns to her parents. Having this thought as her safety net, Mia went to the deserted park late in the morning, hoping that she would see Harry there. The closer she got, the faster she seemed to go, and she eventually found herself running, leaving the neighborhood behind until she caught sight of that familiar swing set. As soon as she reached it, she looked around and felt her stomach drop when she saw that it was completely empty. Taking a seat on one of the swings, Mia tried to catch her breath and calm herself. She anxiously waited, and waited. The minutes seemed to crawl by like a snail and it didn't help with Mia's nerves. After what felt like eternity, Mia was about to give up when she heard a voice yell her name.

"Mia!"

Mia whipped around to see a scrawny boy with jet black hair, green eyes, and a lightning bolt scar on his forehead running towards her. Mia jumped off the swing and ran towards him at full speed.

"Harry!" she called. In next to no time the two friends caught collided into each other, nearly losing their balance as they threw their arms around each other and held on tight. Mia was sure she was suffocating him, but Harry didn't seem to mind too much. Once they were both done squeezing the very life out of each other, Mia pulled back and immediately slapped his arm.

"Harry Potter!" she scolded. "Where the bloody hell have you been?! Do you have any idea how worried I was?"

"I'm sorry Mia," said Harry, a sincere look in his eyes. "I didn't mean to worry you."

"Well I was," said Mia, her lips quivering. "I didn't know if you were hurt or sick, or something worse."

"I'm sorry Mia," Harry said again. He pulled her to him again and hugged her gently and she closed her eyes, placing her forehead on his shoulder, forcing the tears at bay.

"Where have you been?" she asked.

"I got into some trouble with my aunt and uncle again," said Harry. "They got really mad, and I just got off being grounded."

"How could they keep you grounded for this long?" Mia said, appalled. "What did you do to make them so angry?"

Harry then proceeded to tell Mia all about Dudley's birthday. How Mrs. Figg couldn't take him because she broke her leg, and the Dursleys had no choice but to take him to the zoo with them. He told all about the snake and how the glass tank seemed to vanish and that it escaped the reptile house, and that his aunt and uncle seemed to think it was his fault. Mia could do nothing but stare as he finished, her mouth hanging open. So what Dudley said was true? But that was impossible. A glass tank couldn't just vanish into thin like that, unless…unless Harry made it happen. Mia realized that Harry had to have used accidental magic to set the snake on Dudley. She was bursting to tell him this, yet she remembered what McGonagall told her and kept her mouth shut.

"That's crazy Harry," Mia said.

"I know it is, and I have no idea how to explain how it happened," said Harry. "But you do believe me don't you?"

"Of course I do Harry," replied Mia with an assuring smile. Then her smile faded when she saw the state of him. From not being outside (and most likely from the lack of food), Harry seemed to have grown a little paler and thinner. She narrowed her eyes at him.

"Did they feed you at all this month?" she asked in a low and serious voice. Harry gulped when he saw her expression change but didn't answer. Mia gave an angry huff and then grabbed his hand, leading him away from the park and back towards Privet Drive.

"Where are we going?" said Harry.

"To my house," said Mia. "Mum is making lunch and I'm asking her to make extra for you, and don't you dare argue! You look horrible and I'm not going to stand for them starving you."

"Mia you promised-"

"I'm not going to tell my parents," Mia grumbled. "As much as I want to, I won't. But I am going to take care of you all right? And don't let your stupid pride stand in the way, because you are not getting out of this. Understand?"

"Yes Mame," answered Harry with a soft chuckle. Mia continued pulling him towards her house, her mind reeling. She silently prayed his Hogwarts letter would come soon, because Harry needs to look forward to leaving this place and his awful relatives. And, if everything goes well, she will be right there with him along the way. The rest of the walk was continued in silence while Mia attempted to calm herself. They rounded the corner onto Privet Drive and Mia quickly led Harry towards number two before his aunt could spot them and have an excuse to call Harry inside. Once they were in, Mia shut the door and took him to the kitchen, where Catherine was making sliced up chicken sandwiches and some fruit, with Brian watching her from his high chair. As soon as they entered, Brian let out an excited squeal and started jumping up and down.

"Mia!" he yelled, pointing. "Awwy!"

"Hey there Brian," said Harry, making his way over to the small boy and keeping his glasses safely out of Brian's reach.

"Hello Harry dear," said Catherine, smiling. "We haven't seen you around in a while."

"I've been kept busy a lot," said Harry as Brian captured his hand and was staring at his thumb in fascination.

"Can Harry stay for lunch Mum? He missed breakfast and is really hungry," said Mia.

"Of course love," said Catherine. "You do look a little peaky Harry, have you been eating well? I'll make some extra for you okay? Lord knows with the way Mia and Ben eat there's plenty to go around."

"Really Mrs. Thatcher there's no need-"

"Nonsense," Catherine cut in, waving her knife. "It's no trouble at all dear, just take a seat at the table with Mia, it'll be ready in a few minutes."

"Don't forget to give Harry an extra sandwich Mum," Mia pointed out. Harry glared at her, but she merely smiled and did the mature thing and stuck her tongue out at him.

**Rate and Review Please! **


	4. Diagon Ally and Stupid Colds

**Hey everyone! So here it is, chapter four of You Were Always There! I really hope you guys like it, I don't think it was one of my better chapters, but that's okay, I'll just have to make up for it in the next chapter! And as far as my lovely readers goes:**

_**Kamrita: I know you probably want more of Harry's point of view, but it wouldn't fit well in the timeline in this chapter, but I promise you there will be more of it in the coming chapters.**_

_**ColteeYT: I'm really glad you like it! And thank you for pointing out my mistake with misspelling McGonagall's name, I don't know how the heck I managed to do that. Thank you so much!**_

_**Ali: Thank you! And you'll just have to wait and see. ;)**_

_**LordBones: Don't worry, I will. Even if it takes me a while, I while always update, so there is no need to plan my murder, lol. **_

_**4everapotterhead: Haha, thank you, I'm happy you like it so much! Don't worry, Mia and Harry won't have those feelings for a long while, they're just extremely close because they are all each other really has in the beginning. **_

_**Brown-Eyed-Marauderette : Wow, thank you so much for that review, it was great! I'm happy you love it that much, and thanks, I really tried to make Mia not an everyday Mary-Sue. I'm glad you gave my story a chance, I only hope that I keep pleasing you all! **_

_**PurpleBullet: Thanks! **_

_**Tifa2001: Awesome, I'm glad you like it!**_

_**Little Foot: Gee, never quite had that said to me before, but I love it! I'm honestly undecided right now, I'm stuck between two houses. Hopefully I'll have it worked out by the time of the sorting. **_

_**NANLIT: Mia still sees Cindy sometimes, I just couldn't figure out where to put them yet. Cindy is not in this chapter but she will make an appearance again in the next one. Cindy and Harry are really the only ones Mia talks to, as everyone else keeps their distance from her for being friends with the Potter boy. And I was thinking about having Harry go home with Mia for Christmas, but I'm not sure, because then he won't find the Mirror of Erised. Still working that out. **_

**Hope you all enjoy!**

Chapter Four: Diagon Ally and Stupid Colds

MPOV

The next couple weeks of summer passed by in the regular routine. Harry and Mia would spend most of their time wandering around the neighborhood, playing at Mia's house, and avoiding Dudley and his band of baboons. At times Mia figured her home was a safe sanctuary for Harry, where he was free to be himself and not have his relatives breathing down his neck all the time. Her parents always made him feel comfortable, and Brian adored him. The days were hot and humid, but they didn't mind. Mia loved it when her and Harry would run around in the yard, chasing Brian around and climbing trees, seeing who could go the highest. Once in a while when the heat was overbearing, Ben would bring out the garden hose and sprinkler, and they would run back and forth, laughing while getting soaked. Harry was nervous at first, thinking if he went home in wet clothes his aunt and uncle would be sure to get angry with him. So Ben kindly offered Harry some of his old school clothes to play in, which made him incredibly more cheerful.

Mia was especially more excited because Harry's eleventh birthday was only a little less than two weeks away. That means he would be getting his Hogwarts letter very soon, and of course you don't turn eleven every day. With the allowance Mia has saved up, she was planning on getting Harry two gifts. Harry usually didn't want her getting anything for him, claiming he didn't want her wasting her money on him. Mia shot this down instantly. The Dursleys had never given Harry anything for his birthday, and it annoyed Mia to no end, seeing as though Dudley seemed to get the entire toy store every year. The only presents Harry ever gets is from Mia, and she wasn't able to get him anything until she started earning an allowance when she was nine. That year she had gotten him a small kite, and last year she had gotten him a toy car. However, as much as Harry loved his gifts, he asked to keep them at Mia's house. When she asked him why, he said the Dursleys would take them if they ever found them. It was for reasons like this that Mia couldn't stand Harry's family. How could they treat him like this? Harry is the kindest person she has ever met, he doesn't deserve it.

So that weekend, Mia went out shopping with Catherine and Brian, and picked up Harry's presents on the way. She decided on a new Gameboy package that came with two games, and a board game called Battleship she thought he might like. When they returned home, Mia immediately went up to her room so she could wrap up the gifts, her insides bubbling with excitement. She really hoped that Harry liked them. Two piles of scrap paper and many pieces of tape later, Mia came back downstairs with the presents, looking proud of her work. As she put them on the coffee table, Brian came in to the room and walked over to her.

"Mia," he said, raising his arms and demanding to be picked up. Mia scooped her little brother up into her arms and giggled when he grabbed her nose. It was then that Brian noticed the brightly wrapped objects and pointed to them.

"For me?" he said.

"No Brian, they're for Harry," Mia explained, bouncing him on her hip. "Hey, how about you and I snatch some cookies from the cookies jar?"

"Cookies!" Brian exclaimed happily. Mia laughed and carried Brian to the kitchen where Catherine was mixing some lemonade at the sink, with her back facing them. Mia looked down at Brian and placed her finger to her lips, telling him to be quiet. Moving softly and silently, Mia tiptoed behind her mother, biting her lips to stop herself from laughing and giving away their position. She headed towards the counter next to the back door, where the cookie jar was sitting, tempting them. The two of them reached the jar, and Brian was grinning from ear to ear. Mia glanced over her shoulder to make sure her mother was still preoccupied before carefully taking the lid off. She raised her hand, about to reach into the treasure chest, her mouth watering from the delicious scent of the chocolate chips-

"Don't even think about it Amelia Marie," said Catherine, not even bothering to turn around. Mia groaned and moved around to face her.

"How did you know? Brian was actually quiet this time!" she said.

"I'm your mother, I know everything," replied Catherine, lifting the pitcher out of the sink and placing it on the counter, a smirk on her face. "You and your brother can have some _after _dinner. And that goes for you too Ben!"

Mia whipped around to see her father standing behind her, with one hand in the cookie jar and a dumbfounded expression on his face. Then Ben stuck out his bottom lip, looking like an adorable puppy that was stepped on.

"But babe," he whined, his lip quivering and his eyes going wide.

"Nice try, but that look stopped working for you and Mia by the time she was seven," said Catherine. Mia burst out laughing at the defeated look on her father's face, placing Brian down on the floor. While Brian walked over to Catherine, Ben went over and picked up Mia in a bone crushing hug.

"Missed you kiddo," he said.

"Missed you too Dad," said Mia as she hugged him back. "What are you doing home from work so early?"

"My boss let me have the rest of the day off," said Ben, putting her back down on the ground. "He owe me some time off anyway. And besides, your mother and I have something to tell you."

"Ben, I thought we were going to wait until after dinner?" said Catherine as she picked up Brian.

"We might as well, love," said Ben with a grin.

"Tell me what?" asked Mia, looking from one to the other.

"Well," said Ben, his grin growing wider. "Your mother and I were up late talking last night about this whole Hogwarts thing."

Mia froze and she waited with bated breath, her heart picking up it's pace.

"And after going over all our options and talking about how this will be a good experience for all of us, we decided that you can go to Hogwarts in September."

"YES!" screamed Mia, punching the air with her fist. She threw herself around Ben's waist, squeezing him tightly before running Catherine.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" said Mia. "Thank you guys so much! I'm so excited, this is incredible, I'm going to Hogwarts! When can we buy my things? How are we going to message Professor McGonagall? Will she get the letter in time? What-"

"Whoa, slow down there Mia," Ben chuckled, placing his hand over her mouth. "Don't worry about messaging McGonagall, we already took care of that."

"But how?" mumbled Mia from behind his hand.

"While you were out with Harry yesterday an owl came to the house," said Ben, uncovering his hand from her lips. "Scared your mother to death."

"Anyway, we remembered the letter saying they awaited our owl," said Catherine. "So we wrote a quick note to McGonagall and sent it with the owl. It's one of the reasons why we made the decision last night."

"That's great!" Mia piped up excitedly. "I can't wait for McGonagall to ge-get-ah, ah,-_achoo!"_

Mia bent over from the force of her sneeze, and she heard her ears pop. She sniffled a little before straightening back up.

"Sorry about that," she muttered.

"Are you feeling all right Mia?" asked Catherine as she pulled her hair out of Brian's hands. "You've been sneezing a lot lately, and you're looking a little pale."

"I'm fine Mum," said Mia. However, Catherine and Ben didn't look convinced. Ben pressed his hand on Mia's forehead and his face fell.

"You're really warm," he said. He gently cupped Mia's face in his hands to get a better look at her. His fingers pressed against her throat and Mia flinched slightly.

"Does your throat hurt?" Ben asked. Knowing it was pointless to lie, Mia nodded.

"And you do look pale sweetheart," said Ben, concern growing in his voice. "I think you should go to bed a little early tonight."

"Really Dad, I'm fi-I'm fi-ah, _achooo!" _

"Sure you are," said Catherine with an amused smile. "After dinner it's medicine and then bed for you missy."

…..

Needless to say, Mia's cold did not go away so easily. Despite taking medicine the night before, Mia woke up to a painfully dry and sore throat and a fever that seemed to shot through the roof. Upon discovering this, Catherine immediately condemned Mia to bed rest, and set to work cooking hot soup and shoving more medicine down her throat. Barely two hours had passed before Mia grew annoyed with her quarantined position, and she tried more than once to get out of bed. However, before she could even reach the end of the hall, Ben would spot her from his office and drag her back into bed. Even Brian, the little traitor, would take to calling out whenever he saw Mia open her door.

So all in all, the next three days were some of the worst that Mia had ever experienced. She spent her time curled up in her bed, coughing, sneezing, and grumbling about how she couldn't go outside. What really bothered her was that she couldn't see Harry at all, and she hoped this cold would go away soon so she could hang out with him again. Ben and Catherine would take shifts in bringing up her meals and sometimes they would bring Brian as well as a good source of entertainment for the young girl. Although it cheered her up a lot, Mia would still feel pretty lousy by the end of the day, her fever causing her to break out into sweats in the middle of the night, and her throat making it difficult for her to speak and eat. By the time the third night came along, the soreness in Mia's throat started to lessen, and her fever began to lower.

"Looks like you're finally starting to get better," said Ben as he took the cool wash cloth off of Mia's face and uncapped the bottle of medicine. "If it's still going well, we might just let you out of bed tomorrow."

"That'll be a relief," said Mia, sinking into her pillows. "Have you heard back from McGonagall yet?"

"Yes, she said she will be here on Friday to take us to buy all your school supplies," said Ben. "Are you excited?"

"Yeah!" said Mia, her face positively beaming. "I wonder if Harry got his letter yet."

"You'll find out soon enough love," said Ben with a smile. "Now open up and drink this, you'll feel better soon."

Sure enough, the next morning, Mia found herself to be in decent shape. Her symptoms were barely existent, and her fever had gone back down by late afternoon. By the time Friday rolled around, Mia was one hundred percent better and almost bursting with excitement. That morning she woke very well near the crack of dawn and was much too anxious to go back to sleep. After taking a shower, she scavenged around her room until she came across a simple pair of blue jeans and a lavender t-shirt. Dressing quickly, Mia pulled her brush through her thick curls and left it in a messy ponytail before hijacking it out of her room and down the stairs. The rest of the morning seemed to pass by in a blur, and Mia could hardly register eating breakfast at the table with her parents and Brian, or sitting on the living room floor with Brian playing with his toys, waiting for Professor McGonagall to come. Mia and Brian were just putting the finishing touches on their building block castle when the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it!" Mia shouted as she leapt to her feet and sprinted across the room and down the front hall. She undid the lock with shaking hands and pulled the door back, revealing Professor McGonagall on the threshold, this time wearing soft blue robes, her hair once again tied back in a neat bun, her glasses flashing in the sunlight.

"Good morning Miss Thatcher," said McGonagall.

"Good morning Professor," greeted Mia with the widest of grins. "Please come in."

"Thank you," said McGonagall, striding past Mia into the front hall. Both Catherine and Ben came in as Mia closed the door with Brian in tow, who was gazing up at the witch in obvious fascination.

"Hello Professor McGonagall," said Ben, extending his hand to her. "It's good to see you again."

"As it is to see you Mr. Thatcher," said McGonagall as she shook his hand.

"Is there anything we can get you?" asked Catherine. "Anything to drink?"

"Thank you very much Mrs. Thatcher, but that is not necessary," replied Professor McGonagall with a polite wave of her hand. "It is best that we get going as soon as possible, Diagon Ally can become awfully crowded in the afternoon."

"How will we be getting there Professor?" asked Mia.

"I will be taking you by side-along Apparation," answered McGonagall. "It is a form of how we travel, where we disappear in one place and end up in another. Although I must warn you Mr. and Mrs. Thatcher, the first time might seem unpleasant, but I assure you, no harm will come to you or your children, and it is the fastest way. Are we all ready to go?"

"Yes, we are ready," replied Ben as Catherine lifted Ben up into her arms. "How do we go about this Professor?"

"You need only take hold of my hand or my robes," said McGonagall. "And make sure you hold on tight."

Ben nodded and then grasped McGonagall's left hand while Catherine went over and took her right. Mia tentatively held onto the front of McGonagall's robes in a tight fist, bracing herself for whatever may happen.

"It might be better if you all close your eyes," McGonagall advised them. Mia quickly shut her eyes just as McGonagall turned slightly and the party of five disappeared with a small _pop!_

Mia immediately felt as if she were being sucked through a narrow tube, compacting her against the forms of her mother and McGonagall. For a moment she thought her lungs had constricted and she couldn't breathe, her head feeling dizzy. Then, after what could have been only a second or two at most, Mia felt her feet slam into solid ground and she gasped, the air once again swelling in her lungs, and her eyes snapped open. She was meet with bright sunlight and a sound similar to the bustling streets of London, although all she really saw ahead of her was a plain brick wall. Keeping a firm hold on McGonagall's robes, Mia looked over to see her parents swaying slightly, their expressions flabbergasted. Brian, however, didn't seem quite as effected. After a few seconds of complete bewilderment, his face broke out into a grin, as if he had just gotten off a roller coaster.

"Are you all right?" McGonagall asked Catherine and Ben.

"We're-we're fine," Catherine gasped, her knees shaking slightly.

"Again, I must apologize, it is always uncomfortable for those who do it the first time," said McGonagall. "I assure you it will not be so unpleasant when we return."

Ben and Catherine we not looking too thrilled with the idea of Apparating back home, and McGonagall's lips twitched slightly. Once Mia and her parents felt composed enough to let go of the old witch's robes, McGonagall brandished her wand from her pocket and then turned to face them, gesturing behind her.

"Mr. and Mrs. Thatcher, Mia, I would like to welcome you to Diagon Ally."

Mia turned to where McGonagall was pointing at, and her eyes widened, her jaw nearly dropping all the way to the ground. Spread out in front of them was a gigantic, open spaced ally that seemed to stretch for miles, with hundreds of shops and stores along the sides. Almost all the shops were brightly painted, and the burst of luscious, various colors made Mia's eyes pop. Not only were there stores, but there were also carts and stands set up here and there along the road. However, what really made Mia's heart soar was all the people. All around the ally were what looked like several large groups of witches and wizards of all ages, walking up and down the road, going into stores, chatting while window shopping, and observing the products in the carts. Most of the younger ones were with their parents, reading from long lists, their arms laden with books and bags. Mia's eye darted here and there all over the place, completely speechless. Mouth still open, Mia turned to gape at her parents, who were also staring at the ally with a look of awe, seemingly blown away.

"This place is incredible," breathed Catherine. "And this is where we buy all her supplies?"

"Yes," said McGonagall with a nod. "There are others, but Diagon Ally is the best shopping strip in all of London, and they have various stores that carry everything a student needs when attending Hogwarts. Now, we need to exchange your Muggle money at Gringotts Bank, and then we can begin gathering all of Mia's things."

McGonagall led the little family through the crowded area, pointing out the different shops here and there, indicating the ones they would be going to later on in the day. Mia found herself wishing she had about ten more eyes so she could take in everything at once. Her mouth had not closed yet, so she wouldn't be surprised if she appeared to be like a gaping fish as she stared at everything around her. Once the made their way through the crowd, McGonagall took them towards a pure white building settled in the very heart of the ally, towering way above their heads. Inside, Mia had to keep herself from staring at the tiny little creature, or goblins, as McGonagall told her, while McGonagall took them over to one of the counters. There, they met with a goblin named Tugrik, who accepted the money Ben and Catherine handed over and then left the room for a moment, returning with a bag, jingling with what must have been coins. Before handing the bag over, McGonagall reached inside and pulled out a handful of gold, silver and bronze coins, showing them to Ben and Catherine.

"This is wizard money," McGonagall explained. "The gold ones are called Galleons, the silver ones are Sickles, and the bronze ones are Knuts. There's seventeen Sickles to a Galleon, and twenty-nine Sickles to a Knut. There is plenty here for all of Miss Thatcher's supplies, and even some pocket money for herself."

Thanking Tugrik, they left the bank and then walked back out into the ally to start shopping. McGonagall first took them over to Madame Malkins Robes for All Occasions, where they would get Mia's school robes fitted. When they entered, there was a fair amount of young witches and wizards getting their robes fitted as well, and Mia couldn't help but smile as she stared around. Brian was also gazing around in wonder, and giggling and pointing at random things and people. Ben kept a tight hold on Mia's hand as they walked, but his eyes also shone with a great curiosity and amazement as he looked around the shop. Soon a young woman with midnight black hair and dressed in dark purple robes came over to them, wearing oval glasses and a kind smile.

"Minerva!" the woman exclaimed. "How wonderful to see you again!"

"Hello Celeste," greeted McGonagall. "I trust you've been well?"

"Very well indeed," said Celeste. "Business is booming, especially around this time of year, can't help but love it when all the little ones come to get ready for school. How may I help you today?"

"This is Mr. and Mrs. Thatcher and their children," McGonagall introduced. "Their daughter is here to get fitted for her robes."

"Ah, another first year?" asked Celeste, her eyes glowing. "Well, it is certainly a pleasure to meet all of you. My, daughter has the loveliest eyes, an enticing shade of blue, perfect for our new line of dress robes! Well, why don't you follow me dear, and I'll lead you to get your robes, another girl is being fitted as well."

Mia nodded and followed Celeste further into the shop, where she led her to a small pedestal next to a girl who was being looked at by another seamstress. Celeste helped Mia up and then grabbed some plain black robes, gently tugging it over Mia's head and bending down to take measurements. Mia looked over at the other girl. She had shoulder length blonde hair, big blue eyes, and a sweet, round face. She also seemed a little big, and was looking a little run down as the witch beside her was taking measurements. Mia was suddenly reminded of when she had first met Harry, and saw that this girl was wearing the same expression he had when Mia had first seen him.

"Hello," she said politely. The girl turned to look at her with surprised and curious eyes.

"My name is Mia," Mia continued on, offering her a kind smile. "What's yours?"

"Jenna," said the girl, a smile of her own forming on her face. "Jenna Sterling. Are you going to Hogwarts too?"

"Yup," said Mia. "I'm really excited about it, it's all I've been thinking about for the past month. When I found out about it this summer I couldn't wait to go."

"Oh, are you a Muggleborn?" asked Jenna.

"Yes, Professor McGonagall is taking me and my parents around shopping for all my school things," answered Mia. "Are all your family wizards?"

"Yes. My brother Derrick is already in Hogwarts, he's a third year Ravenclaw," said Jenna. "I'm the second in our family to go to Hogwarts. It's the best wizard school in all of Britain. Do you know what house you think you'll be in?"

Mia shook her head. "McGonagall mentioned the houses, but I don't know enough about them to really know which one I'll be in."

"Yeah, no one really knows until they get sorted anyway." said Jenna with a nod. "Both of my parents were in Ravenclaw, and Derrick keeps teasing how I'll be disowned if I don't get in. I'm just worried I won't be good enough to do well in school."

"Don't think like that," said Mia. "I'm sure you'll be brilliant, much better than I will be anyway. I had no idea magic even existed until recently, I'm sure that's a lot I'll have to learn in and out of school. I'm sure you'll end up tutoring me because I'll be such a dunderhead."

Jenna giggled at that, her face breaking out into an even bigger smile. The two girls continued to talk for a couple more minutes before Celeste told Mia that she was done. When Mia pulled off the robes, she stepped down from the pedestal and turned to wave at Jenna.

"Bye Jenna," she said. "I'll see you at Hogwarts!"

"Bye Mia," said Jenna, waving back at her. Mia and Celeste walked back over to her parents, who seemed to be having quite a delighted conversation with McGonagall and a short man Mia didn't know. Catherine and Ben appeared much more relaxed than they did before, and their bodies weren't so stiff.

"There you are Miss Thatcher," said McGonagall as Mia approached. "This is my colleague, Professor Flitwick, he will be your Charms teacher at Hogwarts."

"Pleasure to meet you my dear, an absolute pleasure," squeaked Flitwick, shaking her hand. Mia smiled at the little man's enthusiasm. Paying for all her robes, they left the shop to proceed down the ally.

Mia had never had a more exciting time in all her life. After they left Madame Malkins, they went to Flourish and Blotts to pick up all of Mia's books that were required for first years students. She was quite eager to get her hands on _Hogwarts, A History_ so she could learn everything about the school ahead of time. Mia darted here and there, scanning the shelves and pulling all kinds of books into her arms until they started to go numb from the weight of them. By the time she came back to her parents, she held a leaning tower of books of all kinds, not just her school ones, and she could barely peer around to make sure she didn't run into anyone. Ben laughed heartily at the sight, while Catherine smiled and McGonagall told Mia she wouldn't need that many books. After coming to a compromise, Mia reluctantly agreed to put back all the books she didn't need, except for three that she was allowed to keep until next time. Next they walked across the street to the Apothecary for Mia's potions ingredients, as well as her cauldron, glass phials, and brass scales. Deciding that Brian needed some exercise, Catherine set him down so he could walk, and Mia held his hand as they looked around. After they were done, they left the Apothecary and once more headed out into the bright sunlight outside.

"I believe all that is left is your wand," said Professor McGonagall. "And your animal if you want one."

"Oh yes!" said Mia happily. "Mum, Dad, can I get a kitten? Please?"

"Let's take care of your wand first sweetheart," said Catherine. Mia kept hold of Brian's hand as they continued walking down the ally, the two of them gazing around, not getting enough of the wonderful sights. Eventually they came to a shop called Ollivanders, and McGonagall held the door open for them as they all stepped inside, with Mia giving Brian a leg-up. It was a little dark and dusty in the store, with piles and piles of boxes stacked all along the walls of the shop. It had an old, musty smell and was lit by soft candlelight. McGonagall followed them inside, closing the door behind her as the bell jingled in the silence.

"Good day," came a soft voice. Mia turned to see an elderly man who seemed to appear out of nowhere, stepping out of the shadows. He had silver hair and pale blue eyes that made it seem as if he was staring into your very soul. He held his hands behind his back, staring at them all with a soft smile, which grew bigger as he spotted McGonagall.

"Ah, Minerva McGonagall! Good to see you again. Fir and dragon heartstring, nine and a half inches, if I'm correct? Quite stiff. I assume it still meets your satisfaction in Transfiguration?"

"Very much," said McGonagall with a nod.

"Excellent, excellent," he said. "Now then, I am Mr. Ollivander. How may I be of assistance to you folks today?"

"We are here to buy a wand for my daughter, Mia," said Ben, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Wonderful," said Mr. Ollivander, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a long tape measure. "Which is your wand arm my dear?"

"Um, my right," replied Mia, holding it out. All at once, the tape measure started unrolling itself and began to measure Mia's arms, her wrists, elbows, knees, and head, even in between her nostrils. While it was doing this, Ollivander was scanning through the shelves and pulling out many boxes of wands, gathering them into his arms. McGonagall gestured over to a couple of chairs by the front door, and her and the Thatchers sat down. When the tape measure had done its job, it rolled itself back up and then floated over to the counter just as Ollivander set the boxes down and opened one, taking out a long, shiny wand and holding it gently in his hands, as if it were made of glass.

"Every wand in our world is special, especially Ollivander wands," he said. "Wands have magical cores, usually the more common ones being that of Dragon Heartstring, Unicorn Hair, or Phoenix Feather. No two wands are the same, and they possess a unique magic that's all their own. It is really the wand that chooses the wizard. Here you are my dear. Oak with dragon heartstring, seven inches, rather supple. Just take it and give it a little wave."

Mia reached forward and took the wand into her hands, which were quivering with excitement. She raised the wands and waved it a little, but nothing happened, and it was quickly snatched back by Mr. Ollivander. He placed it back inside the box and took out another.

"Let's try this," he said. "Willow with unicorn hair, swishy, eleven and a half inches."

Mia tried this one, but it was taken back again by Ollivander and replaced with another one. They continued this process with twelve more wands, each one bringing a sense of dejection within Mia. However, Mr. Ollivander seemed to smile wider with each new wand, as if he was thrilled with the challenge.

"Don't worry my dear, we will find the right one," he assured her. "Hmm, let me see…try this, cherry wood, ten and a quarter inches, very firm, containing a phoenix feather."

Mia took this wand and felt an instant warmth in her fingertips. She was stunned at the feeling that came over her, a feeling of completion, as if she had just found the missing piece of her arm. Raising it above her head, she brought the wand slashing down, and bright, dazzling red and gold sparks erupted from the end of it, bouncing off the floor like small fireworks. She beamed as Ollivander clapped his hands together.

"Marvelous! Absolutely marvelous Miss Thatcher, you acquired a very powerful wand, I am certain you will perform wondrous magic with it."

After paying eight Galleons for her wand, Mia, Brian, her parents, and McGonagall all left the wand shop out into the street. By now, Brian was finally starting to feel the effects of the excitement of the day and rubbed his eyes. Seeing this, Ben bent down to pick up his son and held him against his shoulder, letting Brian snuggle his face into the crook of his neck. All that was left now was to get Mia a cat at the Magical Menagerie. Mia ran inside and her mouth fell open in amazement at all the different animals in the cages lining the walls. The squawking of birds, hissing of cats, croaking of toads, and squeaking of rats came from every direction. Mia walked all along the rows, peering over the different cats. She soon came upon a cage at the end of the row that held a bunch of different kittens, all scrambling over one another and playing with lots of colorful string. As Mia looked into the cage, she caught sight of one of the kittens, a small Siamese one, rolling onto its back, a piece of red string caught in its paws. Mia giggled quietly at the adorable sight, and the kitten must have heard it, because it turned its head and stared at her upside down. It then rolled onto its feet and trotted over to Mia, its piercing blue eyes gazing up at her in curiosity. Flicking its tail from side to side, the kitten cocked its head and pawed at the bars of the cage, meowing loudly. Mia's heart instantly melted, and she just knew she had to have this cute little creature. About ten minutes later, Mia walked out of the shop with the Siamese kitten curled up in its carrier, grinning so much her cheeks were starting to hurt.

"Well, I believe it's time for me to take you all home," said McGonagall.

"Thank you so very much for everything Professor," said Catherine. "We really appreciate it."

"The pleasure was all mine Mrs. Thatcher," said McGonagall with a smile. "It was nice spending the day with all of you. Now, if you want I can shrink all those bags until we get back to your home."

She waved at the large bundle of packages at their feet and they immediately shrink down to a size small enough to place in Ben's shirt pocket. Once they were safely tucked away, McGonagall held out her arms to them, and the Thatchers, somewhat hesitant, took hold of them, and in the next second, they all Disapparated back to the house, with Mia thinking of how she just couldn't wait to tell Harry.

**Rate and Review Please!**


	5. We're Magic!

**Hello! Well here is chapter six, and I'm sorry it's shorter than usual, but I was suffering slightly from writers block, and couldn't really think of what else to put. And it also seemed like a pretty good place to stop too. **

**I really, really, **_**really**_** need your help guys! I'm currently planning out the chapter of the Sorting, and I'm so confused about Mia that it's not funny! Of course it would probably be expected to have Mia in Gryffindor so she could be with Harry and they can be together all the time, but I've also been considering Hufflepuff as well, along with(Just a thought!) Slytherin. I know some of you may feel that all Slytherins are evil, but I don't believe that they are. I think they are misunderstood, but I'm not sure I really see Mia as a Slytherin. I haven't made a decision yet, so in order to help me make one, I am asking you all to please tell me which house you think Mia should be in and why. I would really appreciate it. Thank you, and enjoy. **

Chapter Five: We're Magic!

MPOV

It had been a few days since their trip to Diagon Ally, and the last days of July passed by, welcoming the first days of August. Mia was practically bouncing with excitement as she sat on the bench in front of her house, eagerly awaiting Harry's arrival. He had told her he would be coming over after he finished his morning chores, and she couldn't wait. This is the first time they've seen each other for a couple weeks, and she was anxious for them to celebrate his birthday and for her to give him his presents. Also, she hoped she would be able to find out if he had gotten his Hogwarts letter yet. All throughout the morning, Mia has been jumpy and every once in a while she would glare at the clock, as if somehow willing it to go faster. So now she was sitting outside waiting for her best friend.

"Hey Mia!"

Mia looked over to see a smiling Cindy Jones waving at her as she rode her bike up the street her hair falling out of her loose pony tail ad her cheeks flushed red, as if she was just riding a marathon. Mia smiled and waved back, getting up from the bench and walking across the lawn as Cindy brought her bike up next to the curb. Cindy and Mia have always been on good terms ever since Mia came to live in Little Whinging. They weren't very close, not nearly as close as Mia was with Harry, but they were still friends. Cindy was probably the only person in school who didn't let Mia's friendship with Harry keep her from hanging out with her. When Harry was kept inside his house and couldn't come out, Mia would sometimes make plans with Cindy, usually to go out for lunch, see a movie, or swim in the pool in Cindy's backyard. Cindy would always invite Harry out too, but most times he couldn't make it. Mia appreciated Cindy being nice to Harry, she thought it made him feel that Mia wasn't the only one who would go to great lengths to avoid him in school.

"Hi Cindy," said Mia. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm meeting up with Mary at her house on the other side of Little Whinging," said Cindy, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Her mom is taking us shopping for our new school uniforms. What are you up to?"

"I'm waiting for Harry to come over," replied Mia. "His birthday was the other day and I want to give him his presents."

"That's good, tell him I said happy birthday," said Cindy. "I still can't believe you're going to a different school Mia. I'm going to miss you."

"I'll miss you too Cindy," Mia said. "I promise I'll write you as often as I can."

"You better," Cindy giggled. "When do you leave?"

"September first," answered Mia.

"Do you know if Harry's going yet?" asked Cindy. Mia shook her head. She had told Cindy that her and Harry had been accepted to the same school, but she wouldn't tell her the name and only told her it was located in Scotland. Cindy was slightly suspicious of this, but thankfully she didn't ask questions and eventually shrugged it off.

"I'm going to ask him today if he's going," Mia said. "I hope he is."

"It might be good for him," Cindy agreed, nodding her head. "Gives him a chance to get away from his cousin for a while."

"I know," muttered Mia, frowning a little. "I can't stand Dudley, he's always so horrible to Harry."

"At least he has you there for him," Cindy pointed out. "He's lucky to have you for a best friend. Hey I'm sorry Mia, but I have to get going, I'm already late for Mary's house."

"Why don't you just take the shortcut through the next street?"

"Are you crazy?" gasped Cindy, her eyes wide. "That'll put me past Old Lady Brugger's place!"

"Oh come on Cindy, don't tell me you believe those stupid stories?" asked Mia, rolling her eyes.

"But they're true!" Cindy said. "She kidnaps children and cooks them in a stew, eating them all the way to the bone! Everyone says she casts spells and keeps herself young by cooking kids! And she's mean, nasty, and-"

"That's just Mike spreading awful rumors about a poor old lady," Mia countered. "How do you know she eats kids?"

"Mike and the other guys snuck up to her house and saw her chanting from a book and over a bubbling pot! She's a witch!"

"If that's true, then the sky is orange with green polka dots," said Mia with another eye roll. "Honestly, Mike is as thick as anyone could get. Don't listen to all that rubbish, it's not worth it."

"Well, I'm certainly not taking my chances," said Cindy with a shiver. "I'll see you later Mia."

"Bye Cindy," said Mia as the blonde girl pulled her bike away from the curb and started peddling down the street again. Just as she rounded the corner, Mia heard a different voice call her name.

"Hey Mia."

Mia turned and smiled happily to see Harry walking towards her. She met him halfway across the lawn and pulled his small frame into a hug.

"You're late," Mia said as she let him go.

"Sorry Mia," Harry said. He smiled at her, but she couldn't help but notice that it was somewhat forced, as if he was making himself feel cheery.

"Harry, is everything okay?" asked Mia.

"Oh, yeah, everything's fine," Harry answered, his fake smile spreading further. Mia stared at him for a moment, her calculating eyes taking him in. Harry was never the best at hiding things from her, she could usually tell when something was wrong. As far as she could tell, there was something that was bothering him, and he didn't want to tell her. But before she could say anything though, Harry took her hand and suggested they head inside. Mia furrowed her eyebrows at him, but relented.

"All right," she said. "Let's go in and get some snacks, and then I can give you your presents."

"Mia-"

"Don't want to hear it," Mia sang with a smug grin, leading him towards the door and into the house.

HPOV

Harry sat down on the living room sofa while he waited for Mia to come back with the snacks. When they came into the house, they were greeted by Mrs. Thatcher, who gave each of them a hug and kiss upon each cheek. While Mia made a face, Harry enjoyed the affection. He had never known any type of true motherly love from anyone before, until he met Mia. Mrs. Thatcher was always so very kind to him, inviting him over for lunch, giving him warm hugs, and letting him play in the backyard with Mia. Mr. Thatcher was nice to him too. When he was younger, he taught Harry how to ride a bike, and was always patient. They were the closest parental figures Harry had, and no words could describe how thankful he was to them.

This made his decision all the more harder. Just days ago, he had learned that he was a wizard. A real, live, actual _wizard _who could do _magic. _Apparently, his mother and father, James and Lily Potter, had been a witch and wizard themselves, and had learned all their magic at a school called Hogwarts. The first time Hogwarts had tried contacting him was through the mail post, but Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon, who knew what Harry was, kept all the letters from him. They made it their goal to "squash the magic out of him." It had gotten to a point where they received so many letters Uncle Vernon had taken them far away, out to a hut on a rock, thinking whoever was sending the letters couldn't possibly find them there.

How very wrong he was. Just as Harry turned eleven years old, a giant named Hagrid found them, and he was the one who told Harry the truth about who and what he really was. He explained to Harry the truth of his heritage, and the real reason why he had been left on his aunt and uncle's doorstep. It had not been because his parents had died in a car crash, as the Dursleys had told Harry for years. Lily and James Potter had been murdered by the most feared dark wizard of all time, Lord Voldemort. Voldemort had come to the Potter's house when Harry was just a year old and killed his parents in cold blood. However, when he tried to kill Harry, something happened and Voldemort's powers, along with his body, were destroyed. He had not been seen for the past ten years, and most of the Wizarding world believed him to be dead. Hagrid thinks otherwise, but the magical world was still so stiff with fear that they refused to say Voldemort's name.

After explaining to Harry what happened, the next day he took him to Diagon Ally, a magic shopping center hidden in London. It was there that he bought all of his school supplies with the small fortune his parents had left him before he died. He acquired all of his books, robes, potions ingredients, and Hagrid had bought him a beautiful white snowy owl as a birthday gift, who he had named Hedwig. That had been one of the best days of Harry's life, and besides meeting an unpleasant boy in Madame Malkins, he had a wonderful time with his new giant friend.

However, as soon as Harry returned home to the Dursleys, something made his heart sink and shatter into a million pieces. At the end of summer, he would be going to Hogwarts…and he would be leaving Mia behind. Mia, his best friend, who has done everything for him, and meant more to him than anything. As much as he hated it with the Dursleys, he never wanted to abandon Mia and leave her all alone. But he didn't have a choice. Hagrid had already sent a response to the headmaster the night he came for Harry, so there was no other option but to go. The knowledge that Harry would be leaving without Mia plagued him for the last few days, and he still had no idea how he was going to tell her. She would be crushed to know he was leaving, but he didn't want to keep it from her. He decided he would tell her when he came over today, and hopefully she wouldn't be too upset with him and understand.

So here he was, waiting patiently for Mia to return, and working out what exactly he was going to say to her. After a few more minutes, Mia came inside with two glasses of milk and a plate of banana bread balanced in the crook of her arm. Once she set everything down on the table in front of them, she left the room again for a total of two minutes before she came back with two brightly wrapped gifts.

"Happy Birthday Harry!" she said, plopping down next to him and holding out the presents.

"Mia, you really shouldn't have," said Harry as he took them.

"You've been saying that every year since I met you, and it still hasn't gotten through," said Mia. "What makes you think it will this time?"

Harry smiled at her and shook his head as he opened the first gift, which turned out to be a Gameboy and a board game called Battleship. He loved them both and gave Mia a hug to express his thanks.

"Thanks a lot Mia," he said. "I really don't know what I'd do without you."

"Crash and burn most likely," replied Mia with a simple shrug. He chuckled at her and bent over to take some bread from the plate.

"Are you excited about school starting?" asked Mia. "Not too long before we're away from Dudley."

Harry felt his heart sink again as he took a bite out of the bread. _How am I going to do this? _

"Harry?" said Mia. "What's wrong?"

"Mia, we need to talk," Harry answered slowly. Mia became quiet when she realized how serious he was and scooted over closer, tucking her legs underneath her.

"What is it Harry?"

"Well, um," he said. "I'm not sure how to say this, but…I'm not going to Stonewell."

Mia was silent for a moment as she stared at him blankly.

"What do you mean?" she asked quietly.

"Well, it turns out I've been accepted into a school that's pretty far away from here," said Harry, avoiding her eyes by looking down at his hands. "Mia, I-I'm going to this school in September. I'm so sorry I didn't tell you sooner, I just found out a few days ago, and we haven't seen each other, and the representative who told me about it sent a reply before I could really think it through. I understand if you're upset with me, I don't want to be away from you, but I have to go now, and I was so excited about getting away from the Dursleys I just-"

"Harry," said Mia quietly, interrupting his rant. "What is this school?"

Harry hesitated. Hagrid told him it wasn't safe for Muggles to know about their world, and that meant he couldn't tell Mia. He hated that he had to lie to her, but it was the law. Yet at the same time, she was his best friend, she never judged him and they have kept their secrets for years, and they would trust each other over everyone else. Maybe he could at least tell her the name of the school. Mia never dug for questions when Harry really didn't want her to, and he knew she would respect his privacy. He couldn't live with himself if he lied to her completely.

"Hogwarts," he said after about a minute. "The school's called Hogwarts."

There was complete silence when he said this, and it was unsettling. Harry was afraid to look up and see her reaction. What was she thinking about? Did she hate him for going away? Was she never going to speak to him again? The thought horrified him. He didn't know what he would do if he lost her. Taking a gulp and drawing his courage, he looked up at her and was stunned at what he saw. Instead of hurt, anger, or even confusion, Mia wore a look of excitement and joy, her eyes shining. Without a word, Mia bolted off of the sofa and dashed upstairs out of sight. Harry stared after her in complete confusion, trying to register what just happened. He didn't have much time to ponder over it, for not even ten seconds later, Mia returned with an envelope in her hand. She sat back down next to him, her grin never fading.

"Did your acceptance letter look something like this?" she asked slyly. Harry took the envelope from her hand and stared at the cover in shock, his mouth dropping open. There on the front was Mia's address written in emerald green ink, and as he flipped it over, he saw the familiar coat of arms on the wax seal. He lifted his head up and stared at Mia, absolutely dumbstruck.

"Is this what I think it is?" he asked her in a whisper.

"If you're thinking that it is a letter saying I'm a witch and going to a magic school called Hogwarts somewhere in Scotland, then I'm pretty sure it is," replied Mia with the biggest smile he has ever seen on her face. "So, when did you go to Diagon Ally?"

Harry didn't answer her. Instead, a grin started growing on his face and he leapt forward, wrapping his arms around her. His insides were bubbling with enthusiasm, and he felt as if he could walk on air. Mia is a witch, and she's going to Hogwarts with him!

"You have no idea how happy I am!" he said. "I thought we would be apart."

"You should know by now that you're not getting rid of me," Mia laughed as she hugged him back. "But can you really believe it Harry? We're magic!"

"I know, I could hardly believe it when Hagrid told me."

"Who's Hagrid?" asked Mia.

"He's the gamekeeper at Hogwarts," Harry explained. "The Dursleys tried to stop me from getting my letters, so he came and gave it to me himself and told me all about it."

"Why would the Dursleys want to keep your letters from you?" asked Mia with furrowed eye brows.

"It's a long story," said Harry.

"Well, we still have plenty of banana bread to eat," said Mia, gesturing over to the plate. Harry sighed.

"Well, it turns out my mom and dad were a witch and wizard," he started. And so Harry proceeded to tell Mia everything Hagrid had told him that night. About Voldemort, the night his parents were killed, his fame for being the only known survivor of one of Voldemort's attacks, and his assumed disappearance. He also explained his aunt and uncle's hatred towards magic, and their hopes of how they could stamp it out of him before he got his letter. Mia face contorted into anger at this point and she seethed about how she would give Vernon Dursley a real piece of her mind if he ever touched him. Harry assured her it was all empty threats, but he could tell she was still outraged. She folded her arms across her chest and bit her tongue so Harry could continue on with his story. When he was finished, Mia's anger slowly faded until it was replaced with surprise.

"So let me get this straight," said Mia. "You're a wizard, you were stuck with your aunt and uncle because a horrible man killed your parents, and when he tried to kill you, he was supposedly destroyed, making you one of the most famous people of all time, and that's how you got your scar?"

"Basically," said Harry. "When I went to Diagon Ally with Hagrid, everyone wanted to shake my hand and say hello to me. It was weird."

"I would expect so," Mia agreed. "To be famous for something so terrible. I'm really sorry about your parents Harry."

"Me too," said Harry softly. They were silent for a moment until they saw Brian come out of the kitchen and make his way towards them.

"'Awwy," he said. "'Awwy, up."

Harry leaned over and picked the little boy up, setting him down in between them.

"Do you think Brian might be magic too?" asked Mia.

"Maybe," said Harry. "If you are, there's a chance he could be too."

"I feel bad for Hogwarts when he's old enough to go," Mia giggled as she smiled at her brother. "They won't know what hit them."

**Thank you guys so much. I hope you liked it, please Rate and Review! **


	6. The Hogwarts Express

**Hello! I'm really excited, this chapter is a little longer than my other ones, and you will finally get to see the Weasleys! Okay guys, this is your last chance to tell me which house you think Mia should be in, and why. The next chapter is the Sorting, so I'll wait a little while before posting to give everyone a chance to put in their opinion. I really hope you guys like it, and let me know of any improvements or mistakes! Enjoy!**

Chapter Six: The Hogwarts Express

MPOV 

The morning of September the first dawned bright and early. Mia awoke to the sound of those blasted birds singing outside on her windowsill, along with the sun shining warmly on her face. She moaned softly and snuggled her face deeper into the pillow, having every intention of slipping back off to sleep. However, as soon as her groggy mind started to clear and she finally realized what day it was, her eyes snapped open and she shot straight up in bed, causing a disgruntled meow next to her. Mia looked down to see her kitten, which she had named Sapphire, stretching and giving her what could have been an irritated look. Apparently she had been snoozing peacefully against Mia's chest before her rude awakening.

"Sorry about that girl," Mia said as she reached over and scooped Sapphire up into her arms. "But today's September first! We're going to Hogwarts!"

Sapphire looked as though she couldn't be bothered with what day it was, however she did enjoy being snuggled against Mia, as she let out a soft purr while Mia scratched her ears. Beaming excitedly, Mia scrambled off of her bed and sprinted across her room, throwing the door open and running into the hallway. Taking the steps two at a time, Mia quickly made her way downstairs, her heart swelling like a balloon. This is it! Today is the day she is going to Hogwarts! The eleven years old practically skipped down the hall to the kitchen, where she found Ben feeding a still sleepy Brian in his high chair and Catherine cooking at the stove in her bathrobe.

"Morning Mom! Morning Dad! Morning Brian!" Mia called as she bounced into the kitchen. She went over to Brian and gave him a loud kiss and raspberry on the cheek, causing the little boy to giggle.

"Good morning love," said Ben with a smile. "Someone's excited."

"Am I ever!" said Mia as she placed Sapphire down on the floor. "I can't believe I'm going to Hogwarts today! I'm so excited, I can't wait!"

"Well you need to take a few minutes to eat your breakfast at least," said Catherine. "Now take a seat Mia, I'm almost done with your food. Did you pack up everything?"

"Yeah," said Mia as she sat down across from Ben. "I did it all yesterday."

"All your books? Clothes? Equipment?"

"All in my trunk," said Mia proudly. "I actually read all my schoolbooks, they're so interesting! Did you know Hogwarts is enchanted to look like a bunch of old ruins to Muggles? And all the houses were actually named after the school founders? There's Godric Gryffindor, Rowena Ravenclaw, Helga Hufflepuff, and Salazar Slytherin. The houses all have different characteristics that they value, and that's how it is decided where you should be."

"What house do you want to be in?" asked Ben.

"I'm not sure, they all sound amazing," answered Mia. "Gryffindor seems to value bravery and nerve, Ravenclaw is more for knowledge and wit, Hufflepuff is trust and loyalty, and Slytherin is for cunning and ambition. They are all good houses, but I'm starting to favor Gryffindor or Hufflepuff."

"I'm sure you will do well in any house you get into," said Catherine, bringing over a plate of pancakes and bacon. "Now eat up and then get dressed, we're leaving here no later than nine."

"Are we still going to pick up Harry, Mum?" Mia asked.

"Of course sweetheart," said Catherine with a fond smile. "I told you we wouldn't be leaving him behind, and there's plenty of room in the van."

Mia smiled at this before digging into her food. She was glad her parents offered to take Harry to the station, she doubted the Dursleys would want to.

For the past month, all Mia and Harry would talk about was Hogwarts. They both exchanged thoughts on what they believed it would be like, and they also read some of their books together. It was nearly impossible to tell which one was more excited, and most times Catherine and Ben would merely shake their heads at them. Harry spent the majority of the end of summer at Mia's house, and one time he actually showed her his pet owl, who he had named Hedwig, a name he had found in one of his books. Hedwig was a beautiful and very smart creature, and Mia spent a lot of time cooing over her. She also showed Harry Sapphire, who surprisingly had taken an immediate liking to the boy and instantly curled up on his lap to go to sleep. The two children had each made a calendar to hang on their walls, counting down the days left until Hogwarts. Their minds were so filled with all the wonder of what they imagined the school to be like, and it kept them both in high spirits for the past few weeks.

It didn't take very long for Mia to finish eating her breakfast. As soon as she was done, she put all her dirty dishes in the sink, gave Catherine, Ben, and Brian a kiss on the cheek, and then raced out of the room and back up the staircase. Wasting no time, Mia hastily picked out an outfit for the day, and jumped in the shower. Once she was clean, she pulled on her outfit, which consisted of a pair of simple faded grey skinny jeans and a thin layered, long-sleeved white sweater, along with her sneakers. She left her curls down to dry, and for the finishing touch, she put on a long golden chain that reached her stomach, with a golden galloping stallion charm hanging from it. She smiled fondly at it. Back when the Dursleys had given Harry pocket money (what could even be called pocket money anyway), he had saved up for months and months before finally being able to buy Mia a decent present. She was surprised to say the least when she had opened the door on her birthday to be handed a gift wrapped in newspaper by a blushing nine year old Harry. He knew she loved horses, and it had been one of the best presents she had ever gotten. She remembered hugging him so tight she could have broken a few ribs, thanking him over and over again.

When she was dressed, she grabbed her school trunk that was sitting by her closet and her wand, which was on her bedside table, pocketing it. Mia looked around her room for what she knew would be the last time in a long while. Her soft, mint green walls held so many pictures of her, her family, and friends, along with the many drawings she has made over the years. A sad kind of aching suddenly crept into her heart and the smile she had worn all morning slowly faded. As much as she was looking forward to going to Hogwarts, she knew without a doubt that she would still miss home. She would miss hearing the sounds of her mother cooking breakfast in the morning, humming sweetly to herself, and her father's booming laugh as he tried to get Brian to eat all of his porridge. She would even miss Brian walking into her room and messing with all of her things! Mia felt her eyes begin to burn, but she wouldn't let any tears fall. It was silly to get this upset over it. She would be returning home in just a few months, and she would be with her family again. Besides, Harry will be with her as well. So she will have a piece of home with her too. And speaking of which, when is-?

"Mia!" she heard Catherine call from downstairs. "Mia, Harry is here!"

Mia's frown was immediately turned upside down and she positively glowed. She turned around and grabbed Sapphire's carrier before going out into the hallway and down the stairs. Her trunk thumped down the steps behind her as she went, landing with a loud _**clump**_ on the floor when she reached the bottom. Standing in the middle of the living room, grasping a trunk of his own and a cage holding a snowy owl, was Harry.

"Hi Harry!" she greeted happily as she came to stand next to him. "Are you all set to go?"

Harry nodded, his eyes holding a certain glow that was rarely ever seen. Mia set her trunk down for a moment and walked over to Sapphire, who was cleaning herself off on the sofa. Carefully gathering her in her arms, Mia took her beloved pet over to the carrier and set her inside, closing the door and locking it behind her. Another fifteen minutes later, Catherine came from upstairs, holding a fussy and fully dressed Brian in her arms and followed by Ben, who was putting on his jacket.

"You two ready?" he asked them.

"You bet!" the two said in unison, before looking at each other and laughing. As soon as everyone was good to go, they all trailed outside, with Mia and Harry hauling their trunks up to the van. Ben helped them place them in the trunk of the van, as well as putting Sapphire and Hedwig on the very back seat. After making sue their animals would be safe, Harry and Mia both clamored into the van while Catherine struggled to put a fighting Brian into his car seat. Once he was settled and everyone was in their seats, Ben turned on the engine and pulled out of the driveway. Harry was looking out of the window with a smile, as if he were hardly daring to believe that he was actually leaving this place. Mia reached over and gave his hand a squeeze, smiling. Harry looked over at her, and then squeezed back, his own smile growing even wider.

"I'm really glad you're coming with me Mia," said Harry.

"So am I," Mia agreed. "It won't be nearly as fun without my best friend there."

"Same goes for me," he said, a sincere look in his eyes. Neither of them noticed the smiles directed their way by the parents sitting in the front seat, each wondering what this could possibly lead to in the future. During the ride, the young witch and wizard provided some entertainment for the fussy Brian, with Harry making faces and Mia tickling his feet. By the time they arrived in London, Brian was shrieking with laughter, waving his hands excitedly. Soon they arrived at King's Cross Station, and were lucky enough to find a parking space on the same street as the entrance. As soon as they were parked, Mia threw open her door and jumped out onto the sidewalk, her excitement overpowering her. Her and Harry helped Ben unload their luggage while Catherine went off to find a couple trolleys. In just a matter of minutes, all of Mia and Harry's things were piled up on the trolleys, with Hedwig and Sapphire perched on top of their trunks, and then the group five steered their way into the station.

"Where did Professor McGonagall say the gateway was?" asked Ben as they walked through the building.

"On platforms nine and ten!" piped up Mia. "She said we have to go through one of the barriers."

"All right then, I think platforms nine and ten are on the next level," said Ben, taking hold of Mia's shoulder and leading them through the bustling crowd of people. Eventually they did make it to the right platforms, where there were people lined up on the sides waiting to board the trains. They walked down the middle isle, where they could see many sets of barriers that reached the ceiling.

"Oh dear," said Catherine worriedly as she readjusted Brian on her hip. "How will we know which one to go through?"

"Oh dear," said Brian, mimicking his mother with his fingers in his mouth.

"I'm not sure love," replied Ben, his eyes scrutinizing the brick walls.

"Do you think there's some sort of spell we have to do?" Mia whispered to Harry.

"I doubt it," he whispered back. "We don't know how to cast any spells yet."

As the small family stood there wondering what to do, they heard a sudden voice come from behind them that made them all perk up.

"Same every year, packed with Muggles, of course —"

Harry and Mia immediately spun around, along with Ben and Catherine to see who had spoken. The owner of the voice was a plump woman with red hair. She was walking and holding the hand of a small girl while talking to four boys, who also had flaming red hair. They must be her sons.

"Do you think they might know how to get onto the platform?" Mia quietly asked her dad.

"I think they might," Ben answered. "There's not a lot of people who use the name Muggles, do they?"

Harry and the Thatchers turned around to follow the family of red heads and see where they would go. They stopped just short in front of one of the barriers and the woman turned to her children. Mia took this time to observe them. The boy standing closest to the woman had horn rimmed glasses on his face, and wore a sort of dignified expression, as if he had just been awarded a Noble Prize and wanted everyone to know about it. He seemed to be the oldest out of the children. The next two boys were a pair of identical twins. Mia wondered how their mother could ever tell them apart, every single feature was the same, down to the tiny freckles scattered across their noses. The last boy, who must have been the youngest, was quite tall, just going over the top of the twins' heads, with long arms and legs, and a big nose. Mia watched this family curiously.

"Now, what's the platform number?" said the boys' mother.

"Nine and three-quarters!" answered the little girl. "Mum, can't I go…"

"You're not old enough, Ginny, now be quiet. All right, Percy, you go first."

The boy named Percy boy marched toward platforms nine and ten. Mia watched him as he started walking straight towards the barrier, and at that moment a large crowd of tourists came swarming in front of them and by the time the last backpack had cleared away, the boy had vanished. Her mouth opened in shock as she stared at the place where the boy seemed to disappear. How on earth did he do that? She looked over at Harry and saw that he was just as dumbfounded as her.

"Fred, you next," the plump woman said.

"I'm not Fred, I'm George," said the boy. "Honestly, woman, you call yourself our mother? Can't you tell I'm George?"

"Sorry, George, dear."

"Only joking, I am Fred," said the boy. Mia smiled slightly to hide her giggle as she watched the boy take off. His twin called after him to hurry up, and he must have done so, because a second later, he had gone too. But how had he done it? Before Mia could even wonder how it had been done, the second twin was walking briskly toward the barrier and once he was there, he too vanished into thin air. She saw Harry shake his head at the sight, and she saw Catherine cast a meaningful look at Ben before taking a step forward.

"Excuse me?" said Catherine.

"Oh, hello there," said the plump woman, smiling. "May I help you?"

"Yes," said Catherine. "You see, well, we're not quite sure how to-um—how to get-"

Catherine gestured toward the barrier and the woman immediately seemed to understand.

"How to get onto the platform?" she said kindly. At Catherine's nod, the woman seemed to smile even more.

"Not to worry dear," she said. "I know this must be a confusing new experience for you, Merlin knows how many poor Muggle parents get lost once they get to the station. I assume your children are starting school this year?"

"Yes," answered Ben, giving Mia's shoulder a squeeze.

"That's wonderful. Oh I'm sorry, I'm Molly Weasley, and this is my son Ron, he starting as a first year as well," said the woman, pointing over to her youngest son.

"I'm Catherine Thatcher, this is my husband Ben, our children, Mia and Brian, and Mia's friend Harry," said Catherine. "So, how do you get to the platform Mrs. Weasley?"

"It's rather simple dear, all you have to do is walk straight at the barrier dividing the platforms," replied Mrs. Weasley. "It appears solid, but trust me, you'll pass right on through it. However, I'm sorry to say that you and your husband won't be able to go through Mrs. Thatcher."

"They won't?" asked Mia, quickly feeling crestfallen.

"I'm afraid not dear," said Mrs. Weasley, smiling sadly at her. "No Muggle can go through the barrier."

Mia looked down at the ground. She couldn't believe her parents won't be able to see her off on the train. The thought saddened her and made her downtrodden. She felt Harry take her hand again and give it a comforting squeeze before turning to her father.

"Don't worry Mr. Thatcher," Harry said. "I'll make sure Mia gets on safe."

"I know you will, son," Ben said, a small smile tugging at his lips. He bent down so he was kneeling in front of Mia, and then lifted her chin up.

"Looks like this is where we say goodbye princess," Ben muttered softly. Mia instantly threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly, burying her face into his shoulder, a couple tears slipping out from under her eyelids. Ben held her just as tight, rubbing soothing circles on her back.

"I'll miss you Daddy," she mumbled.

"I'll miss you too Mia," he whispered into her hair. "Be good okay?"

"Okay," Mia sniffed. After a few seconds they released each other and Mia wiped away her tears before turning to her mother. Catherine didn't bother to hide her tears, letting them fall freely as she pulled her daughter into a suffocating embrace, stroking her hair softly.

"You be good, and don't forget to write us, okay?" Catherine cried. "I'll miss you so much sweetheart. We love you."

"Love you too Mum," said Mia. "Take care of Mum and Dad Brian. I'll be home before you know it. I love you Bry."

"Wuv Mia," Brian replied, patting her cheek with his sticky fingers and giving her another one of his toothy grins. Mia let Catherine go so she could straighten up and looked over to see Ben giving Harry a hug as well, catching the boy by surprise.

"You have a good time Harry," he said. "Don't forget to write to us too, all right? And look after Mia for us."

"I will Mr. Thatcher," Harry said. "And thank you. For everything."

Ben nodded as he loosened his hold on the boy, giving Catherine enough time to stoop down and give Harry a kiss on each cheek, making him go red.

"All right now dears, go on, go now before Ron," said Mrs. Weasley. "We'll follow right after you."

"You go first Harry," said Mia. Harry nodded and then went to face the wall, his trolley in front of him. Taking a deep breath, he casually started walking towards it. Once he got closer, he started going a little faster, until he broke out into a run just as he was a few feet in front of it. Mia crossed her fingers, praying he would crash into it and hurt himself. But, to her amazement, the moment he reached it, Harry quickly vanished from sight, just as Mrs. Weasley's sons had done before.

"You're next dear," said Mrs. Weasley. Mia hesitantly made her way towards the front of the barrier and took a moment to prepare herself. She turned to look at her parents and Brian, giving them a smile.

"I love you guys," she said. "See you later."

Without another word, Mia pushed off, running towards the barrier that separated her from the platform, imagining passing through it as if it were made of fog. She closed her eyes right before she reached it, and she was happy to see that she hadn't crashed into it. Coming to a halt, Mia opened her eyes and couldn't help but gasp.

A scarlet steam engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people. A sign overhead said _Hogwarts' Express, eleven o'clock_. Mia looked over her shoulder and saw a wrought-iron archway where the barrier had been, with the words _Platform Nine and Three-Quarters _on it. An explosion of relief and enthusiasm coursed through her. She did it!

"Hey Mia!"

Standing in front of Mia was a grinning Harry, who was urging her further onto the platform. Smiling, Mia came up beside Harry and the two of them set off to find a train compartment. The sight that surrounded them was incredible! There were students of all ages crowded around the express, all chatting merrily and laughing as they said goodbye to their families. Animals of all kinds were screeching or hissing through their cages, and a group of small children were running this way and that, darting through the gaps in the crowd. The mere energy and spirited atmosphere was enough to make Mia's insides bounce around.

"This is amazing!" she breathed, taking in everything around them with wide eyes.

"It is," agreed Harry, also gazing at everything in awe. The two of them kept on walking down the platform until they found an empty compartment near the very end of the train. As soon as they put Hedwig and Sapphire on, they tried heaving their trunks up into the compartment, but it proved to be a difficult task. Harry, being the gentleman that he is, tried to help Mia with hers first, but, being to small eleven year olds, they couldn't lift it four inches without dropping it on their feet.

"You two want a hand?" came a voice from beside them. Mia turned around. It was one of the red-haired twins they had followed through the barrier.

"Yes, please," Harry panted.

"Oi, Fred! C'mere and help!" called the boy, who was obviously George. With his and Fred's help, both Mia and Harry were able to get their trunks into the compartment with no further injury to their poor feet.

"Thank you guys," said Mia gratefully.

"Yeah, thanks," said Harry, pushing his sweaty hair out of his eyes.

"What's that?" said one of the twins suddenly, pointing at Harry's forehead.

"Blimey," said the other twin, his eyes going wide as realization dawned upon him. "Are you —?"

"He is," said the first twin. "Aren't you?"

"What?" said Harry.

"_Harry Potter_." chorused the twins.

"Oh, him," said Harry, causing Mia to giggle. "I mean, yes, I am."

Fred and George just stood there, gawking at him, and Harry started going red again. To save her friend from more embarrassment, Mia held out her hands to the twins.

"I'm Mia Thatcher," she said brightly with a polite smile. "It's nice to meet you."

She saw Harry throw her a grateful look out of the corner of her eye as the twins snapped out of their trance and turned to face her. They both grinned deviously and the first twin took her hand in his.

"Why hello there fair lady," he greeted in a light and airy voice, having the aura of someone who just found his long lost love. "Such a treasure it is to bestow eyes on a beauty such as yourself. I am Gred Weasley, and this is my brother Forge. A pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"A pleasure indeed," said the other twin, pushing his brother out of the way to snatch Mia's hand as well. "What a divine creature you are fair lady, and what an honor it is to have served you and your friend with your ghastly luggage. I only hope we can do so again, if only to see your stunning beauty once more."

Mia could feel her cheeks burn the brightest shade of red and she smiled shyly while Harry tried, and failed, to hold back his snickers.

"Fred? George? Are you there?" Mrs. Weasley's voice came from the platform.

"Coming, Mum," called the twins in unison. The one holding Mia's hand gave it a swift kiss and with a last look at Harry, they both hopped off the train. Once they were gone, Harry let out his laughter and Mia glared at him, her cheeks still flushed. They took a seat across from each other next to the window and Mia made herself comfortable, knowing they were in for a long ride. She pulled Sapphire's carrier closer, intending to let her kitten out as soon as the train left the station so she wouldn't have time to make a break for it, and Harry leaned closer to the window, staring at the Weasley family.

"You know it's not polite to eavesdrop Harry," Mia pointed out with a smirk. Harry reached over and playfully shoved her while listening to what the Weasleys were saying. Mrs. Weasley had pulled out a handkerchief and was attempting to hold Ron still while rubbing it against his nose.

"Ron, you've got something on your nose," she said while he struggled to get out of her grasp.

"_Mum _— geroff," he mumbled as wriggled free.

"Aaah, has ickle Ronnie got somefink on his nosie?" said one of the twins.

"Shut up," said Ron.

"Where's Percy?" said their mother.

"He's coming now."

The oldest boy with the glasses came striding into sight. Mia saw that he had already changed into his billowing black Hogwarts robes, and she noticed a red and gold badge on his chest with the letter _P _on it. _Hmm, he must be in Gryffindor house._

"Can't stay long, Mother," he said. "I'm up front, the prefects have got two compartments to themselves —"

"Oh, are you a _prefect_, Percy?" said one of the twins, with an air of great surprise. "You should have said something, we had no idea."

"Hang on, I think I remember him saying something about it," said the other twin. "Once —"

"Or twice —"

"A minute —"

"All summer —"

Mia had to cover her mouth to cover up her giggle. She was already really starting to like this set of twins.

"Oh, shut up," said Percy with a scowl on his face.

"How come Percy gets new robes, anyway?" said one of the twins.

"Because he's a _prefect_," said their mother fondly. "All right, dear, well, have a good term — send me an owl when you get there."

She quickly kissed Percy on the cheek and he left, disappearing through the crowd. Once he was out of sight, Mrs. Weasley turned to the twins, a stern expression on her face.

"Now, you two — this year, you behave yourselves," she warned. "If I get one more owl telling me you've — you've blown up a toilet or —"

"Blown up a toilet? We've never blown up a toilet," said the first twin.

"Great idea though, thanks, Mum," said the other with a huge grin.

"It's _not funny_. And look after Ron."

"Don't worry, ickle Ronniekins is safe with us."

"Shut up," said Ron again, wearing a scowl of his own.

"Hey, Mum, guess what? Guess who we just met on the train?"

Harry immediately leaned back into his seat so the Weasley's wouldn't see him looking. Mia felt so sorry for him. Harry clearly doesn't like his fame, and she knew having people gossip and stare at him must be so irritating and annoying. Was this how it was going to be all the time in the wizarding world? Was it only just going to get worse at school? For Harry's sake, she really hoped it wouldn't. It's bad enough people already talk about him because of such a horrible event in his past.

"You know that black-haired kid who was near us in the station? Know who he is?" said one of the twins eagerly.

"Who?"

"_Harry Potter_!"

Mia and Harry both heard the little girl squeal loudly. "Oh, Mum, can I go on the train and see him, Mum, please…"

Harry groaned quietly and Mia sent him a comforting smile.

"You've already seen him, Ginny, and the poor boy isn't something you goggle at in a zoo. Is he really, Fred? How do you know?"

"Asked him. Saw his scar. It's really there — like lightning," Fred answered.

"Poor _dear _— no wonder he was alone, I wondered. That girl's parents were such wonderful people, seeing him off like that. It was ever so polite of them to bring him to the station."

"Never mind that, do you think he remembers what You-Know-Who looks like?" asked the other twin, possibly George. Their mother became stern once again, and Mia saw her narrow her eyes at her sons.

"I forbid you to ask him, Fred. No, don't you dare. As though he needs reminding of that on his first day at school. And don't you go asking his friend about it either!"

"All right, keep your hair on."

At that moment the train whistle sounded, and the porters began walking up the platform, yelling for everyone to get on board. Mrs. Weasley hurriedly rounded up all her children and the three boys clambered onto the train. Mia saw as they leaned out of the window for their mother to kiss each of them good-bye, and their younger sister began to cry.

"Don't, Ginny, we'll send you loads of owls."

"We'll send you a Hogwarts' toilet seat."

"_George!_"

"Only joking, Mum," George laughed, making Mia giggle again.

"And you tell_ me_ not to eavesdrop?" Harry said slyly, a smug grin on his face. Mia simply stuck her tongue out at him, causing him to chuckle. Just then the train started to move, and Mia watched as Mrs. Weasley waved goodbye to her sons, while their little sister began running alongside the train crying and laughing at the same time. When her and her mother fell out of sight, Mia leaned back into the chair as the Hogwarts Express rounded a corner and left the station behind. As they traveled through London, Mia leaned over and unlocked Sapphire's cage. The tiny kitten stepped out, gazing at her surroundings. As soon as she caught sight of Harry, she jumped off the seat and went over to him. Leaping up onto his lap, Sapphire made a full circle before curling up into a ball and falling asleep. Mia made a soft huff and crossed her arms.

"Sometimes I think my cat likes you better than me," she pouted.

"Maybe," said Harry. "Then again, you do have Hedwig fawning over you too."

Mia smiled at that. True, Hedwig did seem to soak up Mia's affection whenever she saw her, so she guessed it was only fair. Before she could say anything else, the compartment door slid open, and the youngest Weasley, Ron, poked his head inside.

"Anyone sitting there?" he asked, pointing at the seat next to Mia. "Everywhere else is full."

"No," said Mia while Harry shook his head. "You can sit here if you'd like."

"Thanks," said Ron. He came inside the compartment and sat down next to Mia. He glanced at Mia, and then took a quick look at Harry, and then brought his gaze down to his feet, pretending he hadn't looked. Mia saw he still had a black mark on his nose, and just as she was about to point it out to him, the door slid open again and the twins were back.

"Hey, Ron," said the first one. "Listen, we're going down the middle of the train — Lee Jordan's got a giant tarantula down there."

"Right," mumbled Ron.

"Harry, Mia," said the other twin, "Perhaps we should properly introduce ourselves. Fred and George Weasley, at your service. And this is Ron, our brother. See you later, then."

"And remember fair lady, if you should ever need us, you need only call," said the first twin (who Mia was pretty sure was Fred).

"Bye," the three of them said as the twins slid the compartment door shut behind them.

"Are you really Harry Potter?" Ron blurted out.

"Um-yeah," said Harry while Mia nodded.

"Oh — well, I thought it might be one of Fred and George's jokes," said Ron. "And have you really got — you know…"

He pointed his finger at Harry's forehead. "Scar," he said in a hushed voice.

Harry pulled back his fringe to show his lightning bolt scar. Ron stared.

"Wicked," he said. "So that's where You-Know-Who —?"

"Yes," said Harry. "But I can't remember it."

"Nothing?" said Ron eagerly. Mia frowned at him.

"Well — I remember a lot of green light, but nothing else."

"Wow," said Ron. He sat and stared at Harry for a few moments, then, as though he had suddenly realized what he was doing, he looked quickly out of the window again.

"This is my best friend, Mia," said Harry.

"Hi Ron," said Mia, offering him a smile.

"Hi," said Ron, giving her a weak smile in return.

"I'm glad your mom showed us how to get on the platform," Mia said, trying to make him more comfortable. "I'm sure we would've been stuck there trying to figure it out."

"Are you Muggleborn?" asked Ron curiously.

"Yes," replied Mia. "I had no idea I was a witch until this past June."

"And I didn't find out I was a wizard until this past July," Harry added.

"Really? How come?" said Ron.

"My relatives and I don't really get on," said Harry. "They never told me what I was, I found out on my birthday."

"It was about time too," Mia giggled. "I was trying to figure out how to tell you the next time I saw you. It would have been funny to see your face if you still hadn't known."

"I would have thought you were mad," Harry smirked. "Completely bonkers."

"How long have you two known each other?" Ron asked.

"Since we were eight," answered Mia. "We met at our Muggle primary school. My family and I had just moved into the neighborhood, and it was just my luck I got assigned to sit next to this git."

"Hey!" said Harry. "You were the one who spoke to me first!"

"That's because you were so cute and adorable Harry," Mia cooed. "I knew you were too shy to say hi, so I did it for you."

Harry went beat red while Ron quietly snickered. The Boy Who Lived quickly changed the subject by asking Ron about his family. As it turns out, Ron was a pureblood, and was actually the second youngest out of seven children. All of his brothers had been in Gryffindor, and he felt as if he had to keep up the tradition. They also found out that Ron's family didn't have a lot of money, something Ron seemed to be distraught about. Harry cheered him up by telling him about some of his life with the Dursleys, and then told stories of what he and Mia did when they were younger. Mia explained some of the Muggle objects that are in her house, and told Ron about the company that her father works for. After a while Ron became more relaxed around them, and he told them a couple things about the wizarding world as well. Yet what really took the cake was when the afternoon trolley came around, carrying various different snacks and sweets that made Mia's stomach grumble. She and Harry quickly stood up and bought as much food as they could carry in their arms. After dumping them onto the seats, they offered some to Ron, who only had some wrapped up sandwiches to eat.

Soon enough, the three of them were talking and laughing while diving into the delicious magical sweets, thus starting the beginning of a lifelong friendship.

**Rate and Review please!**


	7. New Friends and Singing Hats

**Here you go guys! Another new chapter and my first update of the New Year! I really hope you guys like it, and, as always, opinions and suggestions for any improvement are welcomed! Enjoy! **

Chapter Seven: New Friends and Singing Hats

HPOV

Harry smiled as he, Ron, and Mia all continued to engorge themselves in the spectacular variety of magical sweets spread out between them. His insides felt warm and he was happy that he was starting to make another friend. Besides each other, Harry and Mia never really talked to anyone else, and having Ron here was a nice change. He tore open another Chocolate Frog while Ron showed Mia a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans.

"You want to be careful with these," he warned her. "When they say every flavor, they _mean _every flavor. My brother George even got a booger flavored one once."

"Ew! That's gross!" said Mia, her face pulled up in disgust.

"Yeah, there are plenty of foul tasting ones in here," said Ron, pulling out a green bean and nibbling a corner of it. "Bleaaargh-see? Sprouts. You want to try some Harry? There's plenty in here."

Harry accepted the box from Ron, but Mia looked slightly apprehensive. It took a little coaxing from the both of them, but she finally agreed to try some of them. They spent the next half hour or so experimenting with the different kinds of flavors, laughing at some of the faces they would make. Harry got toast, coconut, baked bean, strawberry, curry, grass, coffee, sardine, and pepper. He was snickering at Mia, who was spitting out a bluish white bean which turned out to be soap, when there was a knock on the compartment door and it slid open to reveal a timid looking, round-faced boy with a mop of brown hair and a near anguished expression on his face.

"Sorry," he said. "But have you seen a toad at all?"

All three of them shook their heads and the boy groaned loudly.

"I've lost him!" he wailed helplessly. "He keeps getting away from me!"

"He'll turn up," said Harry encouragingly.

"Yeah," added Mia with a smile. "I'm sure you'll find him soon."

"Yes," said the boy. "Well, if you see him…"

Then the bot left, closing the compartment door behind him.

"Don't know why he's so bothered," said Ron. "If I'd bought a toad I'd lose it as quick as I could. Mind you, I've got Scabbers, so I can't talk."

Ron's pet rat, Sacbbers, was sleeping soundly in his lap. Apparently he had belonged to his older brother Percy, and had given him to Ron when his parents bought him an owl. When Ron first brought Scabbers out, Sapphire's gaze snapped to him immediately and her hair started to stand on end. She made a low mewling noise in the back of her throat and slowly inched closer to him, crawling off of his lap. Sensing trouble, Harry grabbed the kitten and handed her off to Mia, and she assured Ron that she would let her hurt his pet. Sapphire was now lying comfortably on Mia's lap, but still keeping a watchful eye on the snoozing rat, as if making sure he didn't try to do anything suspicious.

"Come on Ron, I'm sure if Scabbers was lost you'd want to find him too," said Mia, gently stroking Sapphire's back.

"I'm not too sure," Ron mumbled, looking down at his rat. "He's pretty useless. He might have died and you wouldn't know the difference. I tried to turn him yellow yesterday to make him more interesting, but the spell didn't work. I'll show you, look…"

Mia perked up immediately. Harry saw her eyes sparkling with a thirst to see more magic, and she scooted to the end of her seat. He moved closer as well, his own curiosity getting the best of him. Ron opened his trunk and pulled out his wand, which appeared terribly worn out, with a piece of silver hair protruding from the tip.

"Unicorn hair's nearly poking out. Anyway —"

He had just raised his wand when the compartment door slid open again. They looked over to see that the round faced boy who had lost his toad had returned, only this time, he brought someone else with him. It was a girl who looked about their age, with wild, bushy brown hair, large front teeth, and wearing her Hogwarts robes already. She took a moment to stare around the compartment before moving her gaze to the three of them.

"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one," she said.

"Sorry, we already told him we haven't seen it," Mia replied politely. But the girl didn't seem to have heard her. Instead, she was staring at the wand in Ron's hand.

"Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see it, then." The girl came inside and took a seat.

"Er — all right," Ron mumbled, then he cleared his throat. "Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, turn this stupid, fat rat yellow."

He waved his wand over Scabbers, but nothing happened. The bushy haired girl raised her eyebrows.

"Are you sure that's a real spell?" she asked. "Well, it's not very good, is it? I've tried a few simple spells just for practice and it's all worked for me. Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard — I've learned all our course books by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough — I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you?"

She said all this very fast. Harry looked at Ron and Mia, and saw that the both of them looked stunned.

"You read all of the books by heart?" Mia said in amazement.

"Oh yes, and they're all so very fascinating!" Hermione gushed. "My favorite so far is _Hogwarts, A History, _it has so many interesting facts about the history of the school, I absolutely love it!"

"I really like it too," Mia said with a smile. Hermione positively beamed.

"What's your name?" she said.

"I'm Amelia Thatcher, but just call me Mia," Mia replied.

"I'm Ron Weasley," Ron muttered.

"Harry Potter," said Harry.

"Are you really?" said Hermione, her eyes wide. "I know all about you, of course — I got a few extra books, for background reading, and you're in _Modern Magical History _and _The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts _and _Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century_."

"Am I?" said Harry, feeling dazed.

"Goodness, didn't you know, I'd have found out everything I could if it was me," said Hermione. "Do either of you know what house you'll be in? I've been asking around, and I hope I'm in Gryffindor, it sounds by far the best; I hear Dumbledore himself was in it, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad."

"Gryffindor does sound like a very good house," Mia agreed with a nod of her head. "I don't think I'd be smart enough for Ravenclaw though."

"You're plenty smart Mia," said Harry, giving her a big smile. He knew she was trying to draw the attention away from him, and he appreciated it. "You would do great in either house, I know it."

"Thanks Harry," said Mia.

"Anyway, we'd better go and look for Neville's toad. You three had better change, you know, I expect we'll be there soon."

Then Hermione left the compartment, taking Neville along with her. Ron scowled as the door closed.

"Whatever house I'm in, I hope she's not in it," said Ron.

"Don't be mean Ron," said Mia. "I'm sure she was just trying to make some friends."

"By reciting everything she learned in a book? If I wanted that I would go to a library."

"Maybe she was just nervous," Mia suggested with a shrug. "Sometimes people talk a lot when they're nervous."

Ron shrugged as well but didn't say anything else about it as he threw his wand back into his trunk.

"Stupid spell — George gave it to me, bet he knew it was a dud."

"What house are your brothers in?" asked Harry.

"Gryffindor," answered Ron. "Mum and Dad were in it, too. I don't know what they'll say if I'm not. I don't suppose Ravenclaw _would _be too bad, but imagine if they put me in Slytherin."

"What exactly is wrong with Slytherin?" asked Mia.

"Hagrid told me that's the house that produces the most dark witches and wizards," said Harry. "That's the house Vol-, I mean, You-Know-Who was in."

"Really?"

"Yeah," said Ron. He flopped back into his seat, looking depressed.

"You know, I think the ends of Scabbers' whiskers are a bit lighter," said Harry, trying to take Ron's mind off houses. The three of them moved on to different topics. Ron told them about the break-in at Gringotts, and how no one was caught. Harry and Mia listened as Ron told them how a high security vault was raided, and how nothing appeared to be taken. Harry could ponder over who would be thick enough to try and steal something so valuable, and get away unseen without even taking anything. It was definitely confusing to say the least. After they discussed that, Ron asked harry what his Quidditch team was.

"Er — I don't know any." Harry confessed.

"What?!" Ron looked dumbfounded.

"What's Quidditch?" asked Mia.

"_What?!" _said Ron again, absolutely flabbergasted, as if she had committed a federal crime. "Oh, you wait, it's the best game in the world —"

And he was off, explaining all about the four balls and the positions of the seven players, describing famous games he'd been to with his brothers and the broomstick he'd like to get if he had the money.

"Wow, it sounds like loads of fun," said Mia.

"It sure is," said Ron enthusiastically. "Mind you, I don't even have the talent to play good-"

"Don't be silly Ron," Mia interrupted. "I'm sure you could be an amazing player."

Ron went beat red from embarrassment, and Harry just grinned. That's Mia, always finding the best in people and making them happy. Before he could even say anything, the compartment door slid open yet again, but it wasn't Neville the toadless boy, or Hermione Granger this time. Three boys entered, and Harry realized with a jolt that one of them was the pale and ignorant boy he had met in Diagon Ally.

"Is it true?" he said. "They're saying all down the train that Harry Potter's in this compartment. So it's you, is it?"

"Yes," said Harry, looking at the other boys. Both of them were thickset and looked extremely mean. Standing on either side of the pale boy, they looked like bodyguards.

"Oh, this is Crabbe and this is Goyle," said the pale boy, noticing where Harry was looking. "And my name's Malfoy. Draco Malfoy."

Ron gave a slight cough, which might have been hiding a snigger, and Harry could see Mia trying not to smile. Draco Malfoy looked at him.

"Think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask who you are. My father told me all the Weasleys have red hair, freckles, and more children than they can afford."

"Excuse me?" demanded Mia, her amused expression disappearing at once. "Who do you think you are talking to him like that?"

"What makes you think you can talk to _me _like that?" sneered Malfoy, his eyes narrowing. "And who are you?"

"That's none of your business," said Mia. Malfoy looked her up and down before turning back to Harry.

"You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there."

He held out his hand to shake Harry's, but Harry didn't take it.

"I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks," he said coolly, trying to keep his anger under control. "And I would appreciate it if you didn't speak to my friends like that."

Draco Malfoy didn't go red, but a pink tinge appeared in his pale cheeks as he lowered his hand.

"I'd be careful if I were you, Potter," he said slowly. "Unless you're a bit politer you'll go the same way as your parents. They didn't know what was good for them, either. You hang around with riffraff like the Weasleys and that Hagrid, and it'll rub off on you."

Both Harry and Ron immediately jumped to their feet, and Mia grabbed Harry's arm.

"Say that again," Ron said, his face as red as his hair.

"Oh, you're going to fight us, are you?" Malfoy sneered.

"Unless you get out now," said Harry, more bravely than she felt, because Crabbe and Goyle were a lot bigger than her or Ron.

"Harry, don't start a fight with him, he's not worth it," said Mia, glaring daggers at the three bullies.

"Better listen to your friend there Potter," Malfoy said smugly. "Besides, we don't feel like leaving, do we, boys? We've eaten all our food and you still seem to have some."

"Well, you can't have any!" Mia snapped at him. "It's ours."

"Well, we don't care. You're probably not even of magical blood are you?" he sneered at her. "Your parents are Muggles aren't they?"

"So what if they are?" Mia challenged, mentally daring him to say something about her mom and dad.

"Figures, Potter's making friends with a weasel and a filthy little M-"

What exactly Mia was, they didn't find out for at that moment Goyle, who had reached down to take some of their sweets, let out a loud howl of pain and started waving his hand around. Harry saw that Scabbers the rat had woken up and latched his teeth into Goyle's knuckle, and was hanging on for dear life. There was also a loud mewling and he looked down to see that Sapphire was swatting at his leg with her sharp claws. Crabbe and Malfoy backed away as Goyle swung Scabbers round and round, until Scabbers finally flew off and hit the window. While Mia went over to see if he was all right, Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle all left the compartment, and in the next second, Hermione Granger had come back inside.

"What _has _been going on?" she said, looking at the sweets all over the floor. Harry looked over to see Mia gently picking Scabbers up from the floor.

"I don't think he's hurt Ron, but I think he's been knocked out," she muttered uncertainly. Ron took the rat from her and inspected him closely.

"No — I don't believe it — he's gone back to sleep!"

And so he had.

"You've met Malfoy before?" Ron asked.

Harry explained about their meeting in Diagon Alley.

"I've heard of his family," said Ron darkly. "They were some of the first to come back to our side after You-Know-Who disappeared. Said they'd been bewitched. My dad doesn't believe it. He says Malfoy's father didn't need an excuse to go over to the Dark Side." He turned to Hermione. "Can we help you with something?"

"You'd better hurry up and put your robes on," said Hermione. "I've just been up to the front to ask the conductor, and he says we're nearly there. You haven't been fighting, have you? You'll be in trouble before we even get there!"

"Scabbers has been fighting, not us," said Ron, scowling at her. "Would you mind leaving while we change?"

"All right — I only came in here because people outside are behaving very childishly, racing up and down the corridors," said Hermione in a sniffy voice. "And you've got dirt on your nose, by the way, did you know?"

Ron glared at her as she left while Harry peered out of the window. It was getting dark, he could see mountains and forests under a deep purple sky. The train did seem to be slowing down. Mia offered to wait out in the hall while he and Ron got dressed. As soon as the door closed behind her, he opened his trunk, pulled out his robes, and quickly slipped them on. After he and Ron stuffed the last of their sweets in their pockets, they opened the door to let Mia inside and left her to change. As they waited, they heard a loud voice echoing through the train, saying that they would be arriving at Hogwarts in five minutes time. Harry's stomach did a backflip and his nerves started creeping up on him again. A couple minutes later, the door opened behind him and he turned around to see Mia stepping out of the compartment. Her uniform were basically the same as theirs, only instead of black trousers, she wore a black skirt with matching stockings. She had pulled her hair up in a high pony tail, with a couple strands framing her face. She looked as nervous as he felt, and she tucked one of the strands of hair behind her ear, biting her lip. Harry reached for her hand and gave it an encouraging squeeze. Mia gave a tiny smile and squeezed his in return. The train moved slower and slower until it came to a sudden stop altogether. The door instantly opened and everyone started filing out onto the dimly lit platform. Harry kept a tight hold on Mia's hand so he wouldn't lose her as they clamored off of the train with Ron right behind them.

"Firs' years! Firs' years over here!" called a familiar voice. Harry looked up and grinned as he saw Hagrid's big hairy face beaming over the sea of heads, waving a huge lantern in his hand. Harry turned to Mia and Ron, chuckling lightly as he saw their mouths drop open.

"Who is that?" Mia gasped in astonishment.

"That's my friend Hagrid I told you about, the Gamekeeper," he replied, still chuckling.

"C'mon, follow me — any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!" Hagrid yelled. When he was sure he had everybody, he turned around and started to lead them through a darkened wooded path. It was mostly silent as they made their way through, and they tried not to trip over any rocks or stray branches. Harry felt Mia shiver slightly next to him from the night air, and she pressed herself closer to him. He wasn't too sure how long they walked, although it couldn't have been more than a few more minutes, when Hagrid spoke again.

"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," he called over to them. "Jus' round this bend here."

Harry, Ron, and Mia rounded the corner past a thick cluster of trees and then they saw it. Shifting out of the darkness was a magnificent castle sitting at the top of a huge rocky mountain, surrounded by the lake and a thick forest on its sides. The towers stood high and proud, overlooking all that lay below them, the flickering lights twinkling from the windows from the windows.

"Wow. It's beautiful," Mia breathed. Ron nodded mutely beside her.

"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Harry, Mia and Ron all scurried over to a boat and were followed by a girl with short blonde pigtails and a sweet round baby face, much like Neville's.

"Jenna?" gasped Mia as she stared at the girl.

"Mia?" the girl said, her eyes going wide.

"Hey!" Mia exclaimed. "It's so good to see you!"

"It's good to see you too," said Jenna, a smile on her face. Harry gently nudged Mia and she smiled at him sheepishly.

"Oh, sorry, Jenna, these are my friends, Harry and Ron," she said. "Guys, this is Jenna, I met her while I was in Diagon Alley."

"Hello," Jenna mumbled shyly, her cheeks going slightly pink.

"Hi there," Harry and Ron said in unison.

"Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid, who had a boat to himself. "Right then — FORWARD!"

And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood. While they moved, Mia slowly reached over the side of the boat and trailed her fingertips across the water.

"Be careful Mia," Jenna whispered. "Don't want to disturb the giant squid."

"_The what?!"_ Harry said as Mia quickly drew back her hand from the water.

"Oh, don't worry, it's not dangerous!" Jenna quickly assured them, her cheeks growing darker. "It's actually really friendly, my brother and his friends mess around with it all the time."

Harry didn't feel completely at peace with her words, and kept glancing at the water to make sure nothing was there.

"Heads down!" yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbor, As soon as they reached the shoreline, the four of them climbed out along with the rest of the students and gathered around Hagrid.

"Oi, you there! Is this your toad?" said Hagrid, who was checking the boats as people climbed out of them.

"Trevor!" cried Neville blissfully, running forward and holding out his hands. Then they clambered up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid's lamp, coming out at last onto smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle Jenna stuck close to Mia's side, her face screaming worry and fear. Mia leaned in and whispered something to her in a soft voice. Whatever it was, it seemed to calm Jenna down some, and she gave Mia a grateful look. They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door.

"Everyone here?" Hagrid checked. "You there, still got yer toad?"

Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door and Harry's stomach did another lurch. The doors immediately opened and standing on the other side was an elderly woman wearing emerald green robes, square glasses, and had her black hair pulled back into a tight neat bun behind her head. She had a stern appearance, as if she was not someone to be crossed to meddled with in any way. She peered over her glasses at them as Hagrid came forward.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."

Professor McGonagall led them inside the Entrance Hall and Harry couldn't help but stare. It was huge! It was big enough to fit a couple houses, or even mansions! He gazed around along with everyone else as McGonagall led them across the hall and past a grand marble staircase that must have led to the upper floors of the castle. They were all led into a small, empty chamber off the hall, and once everyone was inside, McGonagall turned to face them.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room. The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honour. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting. I shall return when we are ready for you. Please wait quietly."

Without another word she left the chamber, leaving everyone alone with their thoughts. Mia gave Harry's hand another squeeze, and he turned to see her biting her lips again.

"How exactly do they sort us into houses?" she asked Ron.

"Some sort of test, I think. Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking."

"A test?" Jenna squeaked, her eyes widening slightly.

"I'm sure it won't be so bad," said Mia, though she didn't sound so sure of herself. Harry swallowed a large lump in her throat. What kind of test would they be given? They haven't even learned any new spells yet! He looked around anxiously and saw that everyone else looked terrified, too. No one was talking much except Hermione Granger, who was whispering very fast about all the spells she'd learned and wondering which one she'd need. Harry tried his best to ignore her and thought about the possible spells he might need to know. Shortly before coming to Hogwarts, he and Mia had gone through their books and read about some of the basic spells they would be learning in the first term. Sure they didn't memorize everything, but she had drilled some things into him. Harry's grades at school were okay, but he was never allowed to do better than Dudley. Mia always said he had so much potential, and she never settled for less when it came to him. He just hoped that this test wouldn't be too hard. All of a sudden, several people behind him screamed, making him jump about a foot in the air.

"What the —?"

Many people gasped, and Mia pointed out to something behind him. About twenty ghosts had just streamed through the back wall. Pearly-white and slightly transparent, they glided across the room talking to one another and hardly glancing at the first years. They seemed to be arguing.

"Forgive and forget, I say," a fat monk was saying. "We ought to give him a second chance —"

"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost — I say, what are you all doing here?"

A ghost wearing a ruff and tights had suddenly noticed the first years. Some of the other ghosts stopped to stare at the first years as well.

"New students!" said the Fat Friar, smiling joyfully, his round eyes fill with glee. "About to be Sorted, I suppose? Hope to see you in Hufflepuff! My old house, you know."

"Move along now, the Sorting Ceremony's about to start."

Professor McGonagall had returned for the first years. She held the door wide open and said, "Now, form a line and follow me."

Everyone quickly got into a line. Harry stood behind Mia, with Ron and Jenna behind them and they walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall. As soon as they stepped inside, Harry heard Mia gasp softly.

MPOV

The Great Hall was more wonderful than she could have ever imagined. Floating in midair where thousands and thousands of candles. They were all floating over four long tables that nearly stretched from one end of the hall to the other, and they all sat the rest of the students. As they walked by, Mia saw golden plates and goblets litter the surface of these tables, all gleaming in the candlelight. Mia turned her gaze upward and saw a velvety black ceiling, with puffs of clouds and stars scattered all about. It was beautiful, and it looked as if the ceiling opened up to the high heavens. Professor McGonagall led all the first years up to what looked to be the teacher's table. She gathered all of them in front of the table so that they were all facing the rest of the school. The other students were staring at them in curiosity, and Mia felt a little uncomfortable. The knot in her stomach began to tighten painfully, and she tried to take a couple of silent, deep breaths to calm herself. She turned to see Professor McGonagall come forward with a four-legged stool and place it in front of the line of first years. On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard's hat that looked like it had seen better days. It was all patched up and extremely dirty. For a few seconds everyone stared at the hat in silence. Then, the hat suddenly twitched, a rip near the brim opening like a mouth. Sara's own mouth opened slightly as the hat began to sing:

"_Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,_

_But don't judge on what you see, _

_I'll eat myself if you can find_

_A smarter hat than me._

_You can keep your bowlers black,_

_Your top hats sleek and tall,_

_For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_

_And I can top them all._

_There's nothing hidden in your head_

_The Sorting Hat can't see,_

_So try me on and I will tell you_

_Where you ought to be._

_You might belong in Gryffindor,_

_Where dwell the brave at heart,_

_Their daring, nerve and chivalry_

_Set Gryffindors apart;_

_You might belong in Hufflepuff,_

_Where they are just and loyal,_

_Those patient Hufflepuffs are true_

_And unafraid of toil;_

_Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,_

_If you've a steady mind,_

_Where those of wit and learning,_

_Will always find their kind;_

_Or perhaps in Slytherin_

_You'll make your real friends,_

_Those cunning folk use any means_

_To achieve their ends._

_So put me on! Don't be afraid!_

_And don't get in a flap!_

_You're in safe hands (though I have none)_

_For I'm a Thinking Cap!" _

Once the hat finished its song, the entire hall burst into loud applause. The hat gave a low bow to each of the four tables before going completely still again. The knot in Mia's stomach loosened up a great deal. All they had to do was put on the hat. That seemed like the simplest thing in the world to do, although she was interested to know exactly how the Sorting Hat put people into houses. When all the applause died down, Professor McGonagall came forward holding a very long piece of parchment.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "Abbott, Hannah!"

A timid looking girl slowly came towards the stool, twiddling her thumbs together. She took a seat on the stool and Professor McGonagall placed the hat on her head. There was a moment's pause as everyone waited.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat, its voice echoing throughout the Great Hall. The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah took off the Sorting Hat and went over to join them, a bright smile on her face.

"Bones, Susan!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!" the hat shouted again, and Susan went over to sit next to Hannah.

"Boot, Terry!"

"RAVENCLAW!" The table second from the left cheered as Terry went to sit with them.

"Brocklehurst, Mandy!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Brown, Lavender!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Bulstrode, Millicent!"

"SLYTHERIN!"

On and on the list went, with McGonagall calling up a new student each time to be sorted into their destined house. It wasn't too much longer before she called out a new name once again.

"Granger, Hermione!"

Hermione eagerly walked out of line, hopped up on the stool and practically jammed the hat on her head. Mia smiled a little at her excitement. A moment of silence, and then-

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Mia smiled as Hermione scurried over to the Gryffindor table. The sorting continued, the line of first years growing smaller and smaller as each name was called. Soon enough the round faced boy named Neville was called to the stool, and the hat took a surprisingly long time to decide with him. Mia saw him clench the sides of the stool a couple times, and, after what felt like forever, a final decision was made, and he was placed in Gryffindor. Neville was so happy he started heading over to the table with the hat still on and had to double back to give it to McGonagall. The line of students kept getting smaller as the minutes passed. Mia frowned as the pale haired boy, Draco Malfoy was called. The hat had barely even touched his head before it declared him as a Slytherin. After he was dealt with, there weren't too many people left.

"Moon…Not…Parkinson…Patil…Patil-"

"Potter, Harry!"

Harry's body was shaking as he stepped forward and Mia reached over squeezed his hand one more time before they disconnected, this time out of encouragement. He made his way over to the stool and sat down while everyone else started whispering and straining their necks to get a good look at him. The whispers quickly died down as McGonagall came forward and placed the hat over his head. Silence settled upon the hall as they waited for the Sorting Hat to make its decision. A couple minutes passed by, and the other students started whispering softly again, wondering what was taking the hat so long. Then, in the next moment, the rip near the brim opened widely and shouted into the silence.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"The Gryffindor table burst into loud applause as Harry took off the hat and got off the stool. Mia also clapped for him, happy that he had been sorted into such a wonderful house. While Harry made his way over to the table, she saw the Weasley twins, Fred and George, standing on their seats and yelling, "We got Potter! We got Potter!" Mia smiled at them and continued to clap until it eventually died out and McGonagall called the next person forward, a hint of a smile on her lips.

"Thatcher, Amelia!"

Mia's smile instantly faded from her lips and her nerves suddenly hit her again tenfold. The knot that had been slowly loosening in her stomach tightened so much she was finding it difficult to breathe properly. For a moment she was frozen, and then Jenna gently nudged her forward out of the line. Forcing her legs to move, Mia made her way over to McGonagall, her hands shaking and her feet shuffling. McGonagall gave her a soothing look, as if telling her not to worry, and watched as Mia stumbled up onto the stool. She gazed out across the hall until her eyes landed on the Gryffindor table. Hermione smiled gaily at her, Harry gave her a thumbs up, and the twins were wolf-whistling at her, grinning widely. Her cheeks turned a little pink at this, and the next thing she knew, she was staring at the darkness inside the hat, waiting.

"Now, what have we here?" came a quiet voice beside her ear. "My, my, such a bright young mind, your yearning for knowledge could rival the best of Ravenclaws, no doubt you would do well in that house. Hmm, you are undoubtedly loyal, but not quite the Hufflepuff type. You can be quite cunning when you need to be, and sneak your way out of dangerous situations. You also have a good head on your shoulders, always wanting to do the right thing. And what's this I see? Such undying bravery, good gracious, and an untamed free spirit. I see you wish to remain with Mr. Potter? Your bond is strong, and may even lead to something more…"

_Something more? What does that mean? _Mia wondered.

"It means, Miss Thatcher, that the future may hold great things for the both of you, should you wish it. Hmm, slightly difficult. Very well, I believe your true place belongs in…"

**Hehehe, don't you just love cliffhangers? Tell me what you guys think! Thanks!**


	8. The First Night

**Okay just a quick note, I realized I messed up Jenna's sorting, she was supposed to go before Mia, so my apologies! Anyway, I hope you guys like this chapter, and thank you for everyone who put in their opinion on which house Mia should be out in. After much thinking, I believe I put her in the right place, this decision will really help out my plotline, especially in the later books. **

**As usual, questions, comments, and concerns are more than welcome, and I'm finally getting used to my new school schedule, so I should be updating really soon. Let me know what you guys think, and I'm sorry for the long wait. Enjoy!**

Chapter Eight: The First Night

MPOV

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Mia beamed as the Sorting hat shouted this out to everyone in the hall, her heart dong back-flips inside her chest. When McGonagall pulled the hat off of her head, Mia eagerly jumped down off the stool and had to restrain herself from running over to the Gryffindor table, where Harry and Hermione were clapping loudly, while Fred and George were once again standing on their seats, whistling and cat-calling. Mia quickly made her way over and took a seat right next to Harry, her smile growing even wider as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder, giving it a tight squeeze. His expression matched hers, his eyes practically screaming happiness and relief at having her in the same house as him. As soon as the clapping died down, McGonagall called Jenna up to the stool. Mia peered over Harry's head to see the little blonde girl sit down, her face a slightly pale. Once the hat was on her head, it took a minute or two until it finally yelled out, "HUFFLEPUFF!"

As Jenna got down from the stool, Mia saw that she looked a little dejected a disappointed. She turned her attention over to the Ravenclaw table, and Mia followed her gaze until it landed on a boy sitting near the end. He had shaggy blonde hair and blue eyes that matched Jenna's. This had to be her brother, Derrick. Derrick sent his little sister a proud and reassuring smile, clapping along with the Hufflepuff table. Seeing her brother clapping for her, Jenna smiled and then went off to join her house. Both Mia and Harry crossed their fingers under the table when Ron's name was called. The red head slowly sat down on the stool and everyone waited as the hat was placed over his eyes.

"GRYFFINDOR!" it bellowed. Mia clapped and cheered as Ron walked over to them and sat down across from Harry, his pale face regaining some of its natural color. His brothers all congratulated him while Blaise Zabini was sorted into Slytherin. With that, the Sorting Ceremony was over, and McGonagall rolled up the parchment and took the stool away. At that moment, an elderly man in light purple robes stood to his feet, spreading his arms wide as if his greatest joy was seeing them all there before him. He had long, silvery hair and beard that could be easily tucked into his belt, along with an extremely crooked nose and half-moon glasses. Mia realized with a jolt that this man was the headmaster, Albus Dumbledore.

"Welcome," he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!"

As he sat back down, everybody clapped and cheered, and Mia hesitantly joined them, wondering if Professor Dumbledore was slightly mad.

"Is he — a bit mad?" Harry asked, voicing her thoughts to Percy Weasly.

"Mad?" said Percy airily. "He's a genius! Best wizard in the world! But he is a bit mad, yes. Potatoes, Harry?"

For a split second Mia was confused, but when she and Harry looked down at the table, both of their mouths dropped open.

Mounds and mounds of food suddenly appeared out of nowhere all along the table and the mere sight of it made Mia's mouth water. There was roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup, and, strangely, peppermint humbugs. Mia's stomach grumbled loudly, so she picked up her fork and started piling things onto her plate while Harry did the same. She grabbed some pork chops, carrots, potatoes with gravy and a couple sausages She smiled as she cut off a piece of sausage and took a bite. It the most delicious thing she has ever tasted.

"That does look good," said the ghost in the ruff sadly as he watched Harry cut up his steak.

"Can't you —?" said Mia.

"I haven't eaten for nearly five hundred years," said the ghost. "I don't need to, of course, but one does miss it. I don't think I've introduced myself? Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington at your service. Resident ghost of Gryffindor Tower."

"Good to meet you Sir Nicholas," said Mia with a smile.

"As it is to meet you dear lady," he replied with a smile of his own.

"I know who you are!" said Ron suddenly. "My brothers told me about you — you're Nearly Headless Nick!"

"I would prefer you to call me Sir Nicholas de Mimsy —" the ghost began stiffly, but a sandy-haired boy, Seamus Finnigan, cut in.

"Nearly Headless? How can you be nearly headless?" he asked.

"Like this," Sir Nicholas sighed heavily. He grabbed a hold of his left ear and as he pulled it, his whole head swung off his neck and fell onto his shoulder, held together by what must have been a sliver of skin. Ron let out a short yelp while Hermione made a face. Looking slightly amused at their reactions, Sir Nicholas swung his head back onto his shoulders and grinned at them all.

"So — new Gryffindors! I hope you're going to help us win the house championship this year? Gryffindors have never gone so long without winning. Slytherins have got the cup six years in a row! The Bloody Baron's becoming almost unbearable — he's the Slytherin ghost."

Mia looked over at the Slytherin table to see a mean looking ghost whose robes were stained with what looked like blood.

"How did he get covered in blood?" asked Seamus.

"I've never asked," Sir Nicholas replied.

_That's probably a good idea, _Mia thought to herself as she took a sip out of her golden goblet. The Bloody Baron didn't look like the friendliest of people, and Mia could imagine him chasing whoever asked around the school well into the night.

"So Mia," said Hermione. "Are you excited for classes?"

"I sure am," Mia replied with a smile. "But I don't think I'll be too good at anything, really."

"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll be wonderful," said Hermione. "Any particular class you are interested in?"

"I'm excited to learn about Potions," Mia admitted thoughtfully. "I read our _Magical Drafts and Potions_ book, it sounds fascinating! Can you imagine making love potions and liquid luck? And I'm also excited about Astronomy! Learning about all the different planets and stars, and we'll get to be on one of the towers at night!"

"And we'll have Transfiguration!" Hermione beamed eagerly. "You know, turning something into something else, it's supposed to be a very difficult class."

"I'm sure they'll start us off small, but it does sound great," Mia agreed. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Harry roll his, an amused expression on his face. Mia playfully glared at him and elbowed him in the ribs indignantly. Hermione and Mia continued sharing their enthusiasm on classes while they ate, and after a while, the remaining scraps of food on their plates disappeared, only to be replaced with the desserts. Mia happily helped herself to some apple cake as the discussion turned to families.

"I'm half-and-half," Seamus was telling everyone. "Me dad's a Muggle. Mum didn't tell him she was a witch 'til after they were married. Bit of a nasty shock for him."

Mia smiled while the others laughed at this.

"What about you, Neville?" said Ron.

"Well, my gran brought me up and she's a witch," said Neville. "But the family thought I was all-Muggle for ages. My Great Uncle Algie kept trying to catch me off my guard and force some magic out of me — he pushed me off the end of Blackpool pier once, I nearly drowned — but nothing happened until I was eight. Great Uncle Algie came round for dinner, and he was hanging me out of an upstairs window by the ankles when my Great Auntie Enid offered him a meringue and he accidentally let go. But I bounced — all the way down the garden and into the road. They were all really pleased, Gran was crying, she was so happy. And you should have seen their faces when I got in here — they thought I might not be magic enough to come, you see. Great Uncle Algie was so pleased he bought me my toad."

"You weren't hurt were you?" asked Mia.

"No, I was fine, I was actually as relieved as my Gran," said Neville. "What about you?"

"I'm Muggleborn," Mia answered as she placed some strawberries and whipped cream on her cake. "I had no idea I was a witch until this summer when Harry and I got our letters."

"Do you two know each other?" as Seamus as he stared between her and Harry.

"Mia's been my best friend since I was eight," Harry said. Some of the table looked at Mia in awe, as if being the best friend of The Boy Who Lived was the highest honor. Mia blushed pink and started eating her cake while Harry laughed.

"Shut up Harry," Mia mumbled.

"How did you meet?" asked Neville.

"We met in a Muggle primary school," replied Harry, smiling at his bushing friend. "She just started talking to me in class and that was it."

"Yes it was all quite fun," said Mia, grinning. "We read stories, played on the swings, and I almost crushed his cousin with a tree branch."

"You did what?" Hermione gasped as Fred and George laughed.

"Brilliant!" said Fred.

"What made you do that?" asked George.

"They were being mean to him and I got angry," Mia said simply.

"Awww, you hear that Fred?" cooed George.

"That's so cute!" squealed Fred. "She was sticking up for her little friend."

"Shut up!" Mia said again, her face flushing even deeper, but smiling nonetheless.

"That's still impressive accidental magic," said Hermione. "I couldn't even do things like that when I was little."

To save herself from more embarrassment, Mia looked down at her plate and kept on eating. Everyone continued on chatting for a few more minutes and just as she was finishing her cake, she saw Harry jerk beside her and touch the scar on his forehead.

"Ouch!" he hissed.

"What's wrong Harry?" said Mia, concerned.

"N-nothing," he muttered, making a face as he rubbed his scar. Mia looked at him for a moment, not quite believing him. His scar had never hurt him before in all the time she has known him. Knowing that the scar the most evil wizard of all time gave him was hurting made Mia very uneasy for some reason. She tried to shake it off as Harry turned to talk to Ron's older brother Percy and finish up her cake, but the strange feeling never left her. At long last, the desserts were all done, and Professor Dumbledore once again stood to his feet.

"Ahem — just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you. First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well."

Dumbledore's twinkling eyes flashed in the direction of the Weasley twins, and Mia couldn't help but giggle quietly. The twins must have heard her because they turned their heads in unison to glance at her. One of them smirked while the other winked.

"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch. And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."

Mia and Harry laughed but they were two of the few who did.

"He's not serious?" Harry muttered to Percy.

"Must be," said Percy, frowning at Dumbledore. "It's odd, because he usually gives us a reason why we're not allowed to go somewhere — the forest's full of dangerous beasts, everyone knows that. I do think he might have told us prefects, at least."

"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" cried Dumbledore. He gave his wand a little flick, and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and twisted itself into words.

"Everyone pick their favorite tune," said Dumbledore. "And off we go!"

_"__Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,_

_Teach us something please,_

_Whether we be old and bald_

_Or young with scabby knees,_

_Our heads could do with filling_

_With some interesting stuff,_

_For now they're bare and full of air,_

_Dead flies and bits of fluff,_

_So teach us things worth knowing,_

_Bring back what we've forgot,_

_Just do your best, we'll do the rest,_

_And learn until our brains all rot."_

Everybody finished the song at different times. At last, only the Weasley twins were left singing along to a very slow funeral march.

"Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"

Mia was only too happy to oblige. Her and Harry got to their feet with Ron and started following the other Gryffindor first years who were trailing after Percy, who was leading them to the common room. Sticking by Harry's side, Mia made her way through the bustling crowds with everyone else as they left the Great Hall. In the midst of all the commotion, Mia saw Jenna and the other Hufflepuffs being led down a different corridor to the left of the Hall, and she gave her a soft wave, bidding her goodnight. Jenna returned the gesture before scurrying off after her house mates. With that, Mia turned and followed everyone as they began ascending the marble steps of the staircase. Her eyes were heavy with sleep, but that didn't stop her from staring in amazement at the moving people and creatures in all the portraits that hung on the walls. A smile came across her face as some of the people waved and offered their greetings. As Mia looked over to point the portraits out to Harry, she saw that he was just as tired as she was, and seemed to be shuffling along as they walked up the stairs. She shook her head fondly at him. That was probably the first time he's ever had a proper meal, besides the times he ate at her house. Just as they were all wondering how much farther they had to go, Percy suddenly stopped in his tracks, along with everyone else. Mia looked past Ron to see there was floating walking sticks just ahead of them, and when Percy moved towards them, they started throwing themselves at him, causing the Prefect to frown.

"Peeves," Percy muttered. "Peeves — show yourself right now!"

All of a sudden, a little man with wicked, dark eyes and a wide mouth appeared, floating cross-legged in the air, clutching the walking sticks. He looked past Percy and as soon as he eyed the first years standing there, he let out a whoop of glee.

"Oooooooh!" he said in delight. "Ickle Firsties! What fun!"

Peeves leaned forward and swooped towards them all, making everyone duck in cover. Percy's frown deepened and he glared at the little man, placing his hands on his hips.

"Go away, Peeves, or the Baron will hear about this, I mean it!" barked Percy. Peeves' response was blowing out a rather loud raspberry and dropping the walking sticks on poor Neville's head, zooming away down the corridor.

"You okay Neville?" Mia asked the small boy, who looked tearful.

"Yeah, I'm all right," said Neville, rubbing his head.

"You want to watch out for Peeves," said Percy, as they set off again. "He's the school Poltergeist. The Bloody Baron's the only one who can control him, he won't even listen to us prefects. Here we are."

Percy had led them all down a long corridor until they came upon another portrait, this one showing a friendly looking fat lady in a pink silk dress, quietly sipping tea. She looked up when she heard them all approach.

"Password?" she said.

"Caput Draconis," answered Percy. The Fat Lady smiled and Mia gasped as the portrait swung forward to reveal a round hole in the wall. They all scrambled in after Percy, while Harry gave Mia a hoist up. What they saw inside was truly a sight to behold. They were standing in a circular room, indicating that they were in one of the towers, and it was decorated all in brilliant red and gold drapes and carpets. Sleek wooden tables were set up here and there, along with comfortable looking armchairs and sofas, with a roaring fireplace as the finishing touch.

"All right now," Percy addressed them, pointing to a door to his left. "Girls, your dormitories are through this door and up the stairs, just look for the door reading 'First Years,' and boys, the same thing through the other door. All your things have already been brought up for you. I suggest you all get a good night's sleep, you all have a busy day of classes tomorrow."

With that being said, Percy turned and walked back across the common room and out of the portrait hole. The group of first years started to split up and head toward their staircase.

"You coming Mia?" Hermione asked.

"Just a sec," Mia said before turning to give Harry a quick hug.

"Goodnight Harry, I'll see you tomorrow," she said. "Night Ron."

"Night Mia," they said in unison, each giving her a sleepy smile. Mia went back over to Hermione and the two of them walked up the spiral stone staircase until they the right door, opening it and walking into their dormitory. The rest of the girls were already there, chatting away excitedly, and swapping beds. Mia walked over to the bed that was closest to the window, where her stuff was sitting on the mattress, along with Sapphire's carrier. Mia undid the lock on the door and pulled it open. Sapphire immediately leaped out and pranced around on the bed for a moment before spinning in a full circle and curling up on the blankets.

"Awww, she's so cute," Hermione gushed as she leaned over to pet the small kitten. "What's her name?"

"Sapphire," said Mia. "For her eyes."

Hermione nodded her head just as the other girls came over.

"Hi there," said a cheery girl with light brown hair and a giddy smile. "I'm Lavender Brown, and this is Parvati Patil and Rachel Collins."

Parvati had dark skin and black hair, along with deep brown eyes, whereas Rachel had dark red hair that was cut short, only reaching her shoulder, with shy baby blue eyes and freckles running across her cheeks.

"Hi," Mia said. "I'm Mia Thatcher, and this is my friend Hermione Granger."

"Hermione looked over at Mia when she said 'friend' and her eyes light up instantly, a beaming smile on her face, as if no one had ever called her that before.

"This is great, we're all going to be roommates!" said Lavender in a high voice, practically bouncing on her feet in her excitement. "Oh, I can't wait for tomorrow! This castle is so big, I bet there's so much we're going to see! And the guys in Gryffindor are sooooo cute, especially Harry Potter! I can't believe he is in our house!"

Mia resisted the urge to roll her eyes as Lavender started rambling on about Harry. If this is what he had to face in the coming days, she felt awfully sorry for him. After a brief talk with the other girls, they all decided it was time to head to bed. Mia slipped out of her clothes and into her pajamas, deciding to unpack the rest of her things tomorrow morning before breakfast. Drawing the covers back, Mia climbed into the soft, cozy bed, picked up Sapphire, and held the kitten close as she laid down on her side, facing the window. Sapphire easily made herself comfortable against her mistress' chest, curling into a ball of fluff as she drifted to sleep. Mia smiled down at her pet before gazing out the window. The light from the moon was shining through the glass panes, it's illuminating glow falling upon the floor. As the rest of the girls got settled in their own beds, Mia's eyes slowly fluttered closed and a contented sigh passed her lips as she drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

**Just in case you guys are wondering, Rachel is an extra girl to put in the dorm, I know there were two other girls besides Hermione, Parvati, and Lavender that weren't really mentioned. In this story, Mia is obviously one of them, and Rachel is just a side character…or is she? You never know when the simplest of characters can turn into one of the most important ( *cough* Neville *cough*). So, I hoped you guys liked this, and I will get the next chapter up as soon as I can. Rate and review please! **


	9. The Dungeon Bat

**Hi everyone! Okay, here is chapter nine, I'm so happy I was able to update so quickly, I actually didn't have much to do this weekend, so I concentrated on getting this chapter done. Thank you so much for all your wonderful reviews, they mean a lot to me! I'm glad you guys are liking this so far, and let me know if I'm doing anything wrong or mess something up. Hope you guy like it, enjoy! **

Chapter Nine: The Dungeon Bat

HPOV

The first week at Hogwarts had definitely been an interesting and challenging one to say the least. Every morning Harry and Ron would wake up to get ready, and they would climb down the staircase to see Mia waiting for them, already dressed and ready to go with an eager expression on her face. Harry couldn't help but smile every time he thought of it. Mia had always been one for learning, she always loved to hear and read about new things. Most times it was just her, and other times she would have Hermione Ganger with her as well. Ron wasn't too happy about that, but she and Mia would usually have their own little conversations, always giggly and smiling. At first Harry felt a small pang of jealousy at this. Mia had always been his friend, they always had just each other, and no one else. Thoughts of Mia leaving him entered his mind and it made him uneasy the first couple of days.

However, seeing Mia getting along so well with Hermione made him change his mind. While Mia would hang out with Hermione, she always made sure to have time for Harry too. Harry felt bad about his selfish need to keep Mia to himself, and he was happy that she had finally made another friend. Besides, he was glad to have also made a new friend of his own. He and Ron stuck together since the first night at the Welcoming Feast, and they quickly became friends. Ron and Mia got along very well, and Harry was thankful for that. During their classes they would always sit together, or relatively close to one another, and would sit down together at every meal in the Great Hall. Whispers and hushed voices followed Harry everywhere he went, and everyone seemed to be looking at his scar constantly. He found himself easily getting annoyed by it by the end of the first morning, and he could tell Mia was too. She would roll her eyes and scoff every time they passed a group of gossiping girls, and she would sometimes mock them, making Harry and Ron laugh.

The classes, once they actually found them after spending what felt like hours getting lost, were amazing. Every Wednesday night they would head up to one of the tallest towers of the school for Astronomy and learn the names of different stars and the movements of the planets. Harry could tell Mia loved the class. She practically had her eye glued to the telescope and had a look of awe on her face whenever she gazed at the stars. She would often help Ron, who kept mixing up Mars' and Uranus' moons. Another one of their classes was Herbology, taught by a tiny plump witch called Professor Sprout. Professor Sprout was the head of Hufflepuff House, and quite a jolly, good natured woman. She taught them all how to take care of all the strange plants and fungi, and find out what they were used for. Neville Longbottom appeared to take quite an interest in this class and was fairly good at it.

Another class they had was History of Magic, which was easily the most boring out of all of them. The Professor was an elderly ghost who had a drawling and monotone voice that could put everyone to sleep in a matter of minutes. Even Mia found it a little hard to concentrate as Professor Binns droned on and on about different names, places and events while they all copied down notes. Later on in the day when they had Charms, Professor Flitwick gave an excited squeal when he read Harry's name while doing roll call, and he toppled off his pile of books and landed on the ground. Mia had stayed after for a few minutes to exchange a hello with the Professor. She informed Harry later that she had run into the tiny little man during her trip to Diagon Ally a couple months ago. When they reached Transfiguration, Harry immediately confirmed his earlier suspicions that Professor McGonagall was not someone to cross. She made it perfectly clear to them that she would allow no foolishness in her classroom and then changed her desk into a pig before their very eyes. The class period was spent taking notes and trying to turn their matchsticks into needles.

The class everyone had really been looking forward to was Defense Against the Dark Arts, but Quirrell's lessons turned out to be a bit of a joke. His classroom smelled strongly of garlic, which everyone said was to ward off a vampire he'd met in Romania and was afraid would be coming back to get him one of these days. His turban, he told them, had been given to him by an African prince as a thank-you for getting rid of a troublesome zombie, but they weren't sure they believed this story. He and Mia was always one of the first to leave the room to get away from the putrid smell and into the fresh air. Whenever they weren't in class, Harry, Ron and Mia would take advantage of the sunlit grounds, and take some time walking by the lake. At night he and Ron would joke around by the fire in the common room while Mia and Hermione would sit together in the armchairs to do their homework.

On Friday morning, Harry and Ron woke to find Mia waiting at the bottom on the stairs, as usual, with her bag slung on her shoulder and her books clutched to her chest. She smiled at them and then they made their way through the common room and out into the corridor together.

"Hi guys!" she said in greeting when they reached her. "Come on, I told Hermione we'd be done for breakfast soon."

"Why do you want to meet up with her anyway?" said Ron. "She's just a bossy know-it-all."

"Don't say that Ron!" said Mia firmly, her eyes flashing. "She is not! She doesn't really have any friends, so she tries to talk to people through books."

Ron shrugged but dropped the matter.

"What do we have today?" he asked.

"Double Potions with the Slytherins," answered Mia as they went through the portrait hole. "Right after breakfast."

"Potions, huh?" said Ron. "Snape's Head of Slytherin House. They say he always favors them — we'll be able to see if it's true."

"Wish McGonagall favored us," said Harry. Professor McGonagall was the Head of Gryffindor House, but that didn't stop her from giving them a lot of homework the day before.

"Come on Harry, it wasn't that hard," said Mia.

"You already finished it?!" gasped Ron, completely aghast. "Could you-"

"Oh no you don't Ron Weasley," said Mia.

"Mia please?" whined Ron. "I don't understand half the stuff in those books."

"I'll help you, but don't expect me to do most of the work for you."

"But that _is_ helping me though!"

Harry laughed quietly to himself as they all made their way down to the Great Hall. For the first time, they didn't get lost, and they all sat down together near the middle of the table. Mia took a seat across from Hermione, who smiled at the sight of her. Harry set his things down and poured himself a bowl of porridge. While he was pouring sugar over it, he heard the flapping of wings overhead and looked up to see that the mail had arrived. The mail was delivered into the Great hall every morning by many owls, dropping letters and packages into their owners lap. So far Hedwig hadn't come with anything for him yet, and he honestly wasn't expecting anything. So it came as a shock to him when she came soaring down gracefully towards him with not one, but two notes clutched in her beak and a small package tied to her leg. Harry quickly relieved Hedwig of her burden, his mind going over who could have possibly sent him the package and notes. Once that was done, Hedwig nibbled his ear and then took a few bits of his toast. He tore open the first note and read the untidy scrawl.

_Dear Harry,_

_I know you get Friday afternoons off, so would you like to come and have a cup of tea with me around three?_ _I want to hear all about your first week. Send us an answer back with Hedwig._

_Hagrid_

Harry borrowed Ron's quill, scribbled _Yes, please, see you later_ on the back of the note, and sent Hedwig off again. When she was gone, Harry turned back to the second note that was written in unfamiliar handwriting.

_Dear Harry,_

_How are you dear? Mia's told us how wonderful the castle is, we hope you two are having a great time! Brian misses the two of you so much; it's so odd having a quiet house without having you both here. We hope you enjoy this treat, and write to us soon! _

_From,_

_Catherine, Ben, and Brian._

Harry stared at the note for a moment, not quite knowing what to say. Mr. and Mrs. Thatcher were still thinking of him, even when he's not there anymore. Deep down he was always afraid that he was nothing but a burden to them, that he didn't deserve their time. For them to send him something meant more to him than anything, and it reminded him that there were others out there besides Mia who cared. He was cut out of his thoughts by Mia reaching over to slap his arm.

"Ow! What was that for?" said Harry.

"For being a git," she said, going back to her eggs and bacon. "You are not troubling them, they do this because they care about you, so stop brooding!"

Harry sighed but didn't argue with her. He was used to this, Mia could read him like an open book sometimes. He put the note away in a safe place while he untied the package that Hedwig had brought. A fond smile spread across his face as the brown paper tore away to reveal a small box of homemade brownies. Reminding himself to write Mrs. Thatcher and thank her, he stowed away the box inside his bag to be saved for later. After breakfast was finished, they all left the Hall and started heading down towards the dungeons for their Potions class. Harry could tell Mia was eager to get there, this was the class she had been most interested in. It was colder here than up in the main castle, and the further down they went, the colder it became. It was extremely dark and dingy inside the classroom, with animal parts floating in glass jars, dusty potion volumes sitting on moldy shelves, and rusty cauldrons sitting on tables. Harry shivered slightly as he went to grab a table with Ron and Mia next to him. They didn't have to wait very long for Snape to show up, and when he entered the room, everyone fell silent. He was a tall man, with greasy black hair, a hooked nose, and sallow skin. He also has black eyes. Cold, dark black eyes that made Harry think of dark tunnels. Professor Snape started class by doing roll, like Professor Flitwick had done. When he called Harry's name, he paused for a moment.

"Ah yes," he said softly. "Harry Potter. Our new-_celebrity_."

Draco Malfoy and his friends Crabbe and Goyle sniggered behind their hands while Mia frowned. Snape finished calling the names and looked up at the class.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making," he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word — like Professor McGonagall, Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort. "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses. I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even put a stopper in death — if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

More silence followed this speech. Harry exchanged looks with Ron, and Mia was suddenly not looking so sure of herself at the moment. Hermione Granger was on the edge of her seat and looked desperate to start proving that she wasn't a dunderhead.

"Potter!" said Snape suddenly, making Harry jump. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

_Powdered root of what to an infusion of what?_ Harry glanced at Ron, who looked as stumped as he was. Mia was looking at him as if she were trying to telepathically send him the answer. Hermione's hand had shot into the air.

"I don't know, sir," said Harry.

"Tut, tut — fame clearly isn't everything," said Snape, his lips curling into a nasty sneer, his black eyes glittering. "Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"

Hermione stretched her hand even high in the air, but Harry immediately perked up slightly. He remembered this one.

"The stomach of a goat, sir," said Harry confidently, seeing Mia smile proudly at him out of the corner of his eye. Snape raised his eyebrow in surprise and his expression soured.

"Well, well, it seems you did bother to open a book before coming, eh, Potter?".

Harry scowled as he forced himself to keep looking straight into those cold eyes. He had looked through all his books at the Dursleys' and at Mia's house. They had went through the books together, but did Snape honestly expect him to remember everything in _One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi_?

"What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?" Snape asked with an even nastier sneer. Hermione reached her hand so high Harry was sure she was going to jump out of her seat any minute. As much as he tried, he just couldn't remember the answer to this question.

"I don't know," said Harry quietly. "I think Hermione does, though, why don't you try her?"

A few people laughed at this, and Ron had to poke Mia in the side to stop her from snorting.

"Put your hand down!" Snape snapped at Hermione. "For your information, Potter, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite. Well? Why aren't you all copying that down?"

As everyone scrambled around in their bags for parchment and quills, Snape said, "And a point will be taken from Gryffindor House for your cheek, Potter."

Things didn't improve for the Gryffindors as the Potions lesson continued. Snape put them all into pairs and set them to mixing up a simple potion to cure boils. He swept around the classroom, watching them weigh dried nettles and crush snake fangs, criticizing almost everyone except Malfoy, whom he seemed to like. He kept dotting on the blonde every time he walked past, and while his back was turned, Mia feigned looking sick, making Ron snicker quietly and Harry smile. Snape was just telling everyone to look at the perfect way Malfoy had stewed his horned slugs when clouds of acid green smoke and a loud hissing filled the dungeon. Neville had somehow managed to melt Seamus's cauldron into a twisted blob, and their potion was seeping across the stone floor, burning holes in people's shoes. Harry, Ron, and Mia hurriedly clamored up onto their seats before the spell could reach them. Within seconds, the whole class was standing on their stools while Neville, who had been drenched in the potion when the cauldron collapsed, moaned in pain as angry red boils sprang up all over his arms and legs.

"Idiot boy!" snarled Snape, clearing the spilled potion away with one wave of his wand. "I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire?"

Neville whimpered as boils started to pop up all over his nose.

"It wasn't his fault!" said Mia. "It was an accident!"

"I did not ask you for your input on the situation," Snape spat at her. Mia's glare increased ten-fold as she stared down the Potions Master.

"Take him up to the hospital wing," Snape said to Seamus. As soon as the two boys had left the room, Snape then turned to Harry and Ron, who had been working next to Neville.

"You — Potter — why didn't you tell him not to add the quills? Thought he'd make you look good if he got it wrong, did you? That's another point you've lost for Gryffindor."

_What?! _This was beyond unfair, and just as Harry opened his mouth to protest, Ron kicked him hard in the leg after harshly nudging Mia, who looked like she was about to do the same.

"Don't push it," he muttered to them. "I've heard Snape can turn very nasty."

"I highly doubt he could be more nasty then he already is," Mia muttered back. An hour later, the three of them left the dungeons and made their way up to the main entrance hall, with Harry's mind racing. It was only the first week and he already lost two points for Gryffindor. Why did Snape hate him so much? He never did anything to him! He was quiet as they walked up the staircase and was happy to be back where it was warm. After asking Ron and Mia if they wanted to see Hagrid with him, both of whom agreed eagerly, they walked outside into the bright sunlight and across the grounds to Hagrid's wooden house that sat on the very edge of the Forbidden Forest. As soon as he walked up the few steps, Harry knocked on Hagrid's door, and heard booming barks coming from inside.

"Back, Fang-_back_," came Hagrid's voice. Hagrid's big, hairy face appeared in the crack as he pulled the door open.

"Hang on," he said. "_Back_, Fang."

He let them in, struggling to keep a hold on the collar of an enormous black boarhound. There was only one room inside, which was big enough to fit a rather large group of people. Hams and pheasants were hanging from the ceiling, a copper kettle was boiling on the open fire, and in the corner stood a massive bed with a patchwork quilt over it.

"Make yerselves at home," said Hagrid, letting go of Fang, who bounded straight at Ron and started licking his ears. Like Hagrid, Fang was clearly not as fierce as he looked. Mia giggled at this, making the boarhound turn his attention to her. He made his way over to her and started slobbering all over her face, causing her to giggle even more. She got down on her knees so she was level with Fang and scratched behind his ears.

"This is Ron," Harry told Hagrid, who was pouring boiling water into a large teapot and putting rock cakes onto a plate.

"Another Weasley, eh?" said Hagrid, glancing at Ron's freckles. "I spent half me life chasin' yer twin brothers away from the forest."

"And this is Mia," Harry said, gesturing over to her as she was rubbing Fang's belly and still giggling.

"Ah, so this is Mia, eh?" said Hagrid with a smile. "Harry here has told me a lot 'bout yeh. Wouldn't' stop talkin' 'bout what a great friend yeh are. Nice ter meet yeh."

"Nice to meet you too Hagrid," Mia replied as Harry blushed, pausing in her belly rubbing to take a seat at the table. The rock cakes Hagrid made for them were shapeless lumps with raisins that almost broke their teeth, but Harry, Ron and Mia pretended to be enjoying them as they told Hagrid all about their first lessons. They were delighted to hear Hagrid call Filch "that old git."

"An' as fer that cat, Mrs. Norris, I'd like ter introduce her to Fang sometime. D'yeh know, every time I go up ter the school, she follows me everywhere? Can't get rid of her — Filch puts her up to it."

"Filch is a sweetheart compared to Snape," Mia grumbled through a piece of rock cake.

"What makes you say that?" said Hagrid.

"We just came from our first Potions class," Mia explained. "And he was horrible to Harry, kept asking him questions nobody even knew! He embarrassed him in front of the whole class, and blamed Harry when Neville messed up his potion. It's like he has it in for Harry or something."

"Mia's right," Harry added. "He really seemed to hate me."

"Rubbish! Why should he?" said Hagrid. Yet Harry couldn't help thinking that Hagrid didn't quite meet his eyes when he said that.

"How's yer brother Charlie?" Hagrid asked Ron. "I liked him a lot — great with animals."

Harry exchanged a glance with Mia, wondering if Hagrid had changed the subject on purpose. While Ron told Hagrid all about Charlie's work with dragons, Harry picked up a piece of paper that was lying on the table under the tea cozy. It was a cutting from the _Daily Prophet_:

_GRINGOTTS BREAK-IN LATEST_

_Investigations continue into the break-in at Gringotts on 31 July, widely believed to be the work of Dark wizards or witches unknown. Gringotts goblins today insisted that nothing had been taken. The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied the same day._

"_But we're not telling you what was in there, so keep your noses out if you know what's good for you," said a Gringotts spokes goblin this afternoon._

Harry remembered Ron telling him and Mia on the train that someone had tried to rob Gringotts, but Ron hadn't mentioned the date.

"Hagrid!" said Harry. "That Gringotts break-in happened on my birthday! It might've been happening while we were there!"

There was no doubt about it, Hagrid definitely didn't meet Harry's eyes this time. He grunted and offered him another rock cake. Harry read the story again. _The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied earlier that same day. _Hagrid had emptied vault seven hundred and thirteen when they went to Diagon Ally, if you could call it emptying, taking out that grubby little package. Had that been what the thieves were looking for? Harry continued to ponder over this until they sky outside started to get dark and it was time for the three young Gryffindors to leave. As they all walked back to the castle for dinner, Harry kept thinking about the package from Gringotts. Had Hagrid collected it just in time? Where was it now? And did Hagrid know something about Snape that he didn't want to tell Harry? Harry sighed heavily before jogging to catch up with Ron and Mia.

…

Harry awoke sometime in the night tangled up in his sheets, staring at the canopy above him. He was slightly sweaty, and he could hear his heart beating a little faster than normal. Moving slowly, he sat up in bed and felt around through the darkness for his glasses on the bedside table. Once he had them on, he wiped his forehead and tried to take a couple deep breaths to calm his heart while he tried to remember the dream he had been having. Or rather, the nightmare. No matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't put the pieces of the dream together. All he could remember was walking through a snow covered forest and seeing a dark cloaked figure ahead of him. The figured came closer, laughing in a shrill, cold and cruel voice that made his hair stand on end. The darkness was closing in around him, his body was like ice, and he had nowhere to run. The next thing he knew, a creature with golden brown fur and tail came out of nowhere, flying across the snowy surface. Its piercing eyes were so full of power and it gave a mighty roar as it protectively jumped in front of Harry just as the dark figure raised its hand and a blinding flash of green light blazed before his eyes.

Harry shuddered at the thought of the nightmare. He had absolutely no idea what it meant, and the terrified feeling he had when he saw the cloaked figure was still fresh in his mind. _What does this mean? _

Knowing he wasn't going back to sleep anytime soon, Harry forced himself out of bed and pulled the curtains to his four poster aside. Squinting through the darkness, he could just make out the rest of the boys in his dorm, all still sleeping soundly, Ron and Neville's snores filling in the silence. Harry quietly tiptoed his way to the door so as not to wake anyone. When he opened it, he felt something soft and furry gently brush against his leg.

"Sapphire?" Harry whispered, staring down at the small kitten. Sapphire brushed against him before turning to go into the room. Harry saw that she was heading towards Ron's bed, and acting quickly, he doubled back to pick her up and hold her against his chest.

"No Sapphire," Harry said gently as he carried the kitten out of the dorm. "You leave Scabbers alone, all right?"

Sapphire just meowed and flicked her tail back and forth, her eyes still fixed on the door. Harry held her close to him as he walked down the spiral staircase into the common room, thinking some time sitting on the sofa wouldn't be such a bad idea. However, when he finally got to the bottom, he was surprised to see someone already sitting on the sofa, in front of a small fire. He only saw the back of their head, but he instantly knew who it was.

"Mia?"

The person on the sofa turned their head around and Harry was then looking into the blue eyes of his friend.

"Harry?" Mia said, shifting herself so that she was fully facing him. "What are you doing up so late?"

"I should ask you the same," said Harry as he came over and sat down next to Mia. In the light flickering of the fire, Harry could see faded dark circles under her eyes, and judging by her messy ponytail, she hasn't been up for very long. Sapphire left his arms and crawled into Mia's lap.

"Had a hard time sleeping," said Mia with a simple shrug. "What about you?"

"Bad dream," Harry mumbled quietly. Mia's eyes grew concerned as she stared at him.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked, scooting over closer to him.

"It's not a big deal," said Harry. "More confusing than anything else, really. I figured I could sit down here until I got tired enough to go back to sleep."

Mia nodded and smiled at him.

"Well, besides the Dungeon Bat of Potions, what did you think of the first week?" she asked as she stroked Sapphire's back. Harry chuckled at her.

"It's been amazing," said Harry. "There's so much magic here, and we're learning more about things we never even thought existed. I feel like…like I belong here. Like _we_ belong here. This place is better than I could have imagined."

"Same goes for me," said Mia. "Just think, after seven years we'll be a fully trained witch and wizard! We'll be able to do so much more than we are now!"

Mia's voice grew quiet at the end, and her face fell slightly. Harry watched as her eyes grew troubled, and her gaze fell to Sapphire. The expression on her face was sad, and it surprised Harry.

"Mia? Mia what's wrong?" said Harry. Mia didn't answer him for a moment and continued on stroking Sapphire. After about a minute Mia finally picked her head up to look at him.

"Harry?" she said softly. "Nothing will change between us right? We'll still be best friends?"

Harry was struck dumb at her question, and he was left speechless for a moment.

"Mia," said Harry when he finally found his voice. "What makes you think we would ever stop being friends?"

"I don't know," Mia mumbled, her cheeks turning red as she looked down again. "It's just…in this world you are famous, everyone wants to look at you, have your autograph, and expect great things from you. I know you hate it, I'm not saying you don't, I'm just-I'm worried you'll forget all about me, or won't have the time for me."

"Mia," Harry said, his voice laced with tenderness. He moved closer to Mia and placed his arm around her shoulder. "Mia, I will never, _ever,_ forget you. You're my best friend, you've always been there for me when I needed you. No matter what, we will always be friends. I'll be there for you, no matter what happens in the future."

"Now and always?" Mia said, looking up to meet his gaze with bright eyes.

"Forever and ever," said Harry with a smile, finishing their old childhood saying for each other. Mia's smile returned to her face and she leaned in to give Harry a hug. Harry hugged her back, glad he was able to make her feel better. They had made up that saying it when they were eight years old, when they made their pact to be best friends. To them, it was a promise, a way of knowing they would always have each other to hold on to, to trust, and to love. To them, it meant forever.

**Rate and Review please! Thank you! **

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	10. Boys Are So Stupid

**Yay, so excited to finally be finished with this chapter! This took me forever to do, I hope you all like it. It's slightly longer than my other chapters, cause I wanted to fit everything in. Love you guys so much, thanks for the reviews, they always keep me going! Enjoy!**

Chapter Ten: Boys Are So Stupid 

MPOV

To say Mia was a nervous wreck would be the understatement of the year. Her insides kept twisting painfully and the feeling of absolute dread has been creeping up on her ever since yesterday, when she had found out that Gryffindor and Slytherin would be taking flying lessons after classes the following day. Mia was usually one for trying new things or taking on a challenge, but when it came to heights, she melted into a puddle every single time. The idea of flying a broom so high up in the air at impossible speeds made her extremely uncomfortable, as she always imagined herself slipping off the side and tumbling to her death. Ron was amused that someone as tough as her could be scared of flying, and Mia had taken to punching his arm whenever he brought it up. Harry and Ron were both eager to the flying lessons, despite them having to learn with Slytherin. Ever since the noticed had been placed up in the Gryffindor common room, all anyone ever talked about was the flying lesson, and it was doing nothing to help Mia's nerves. Seamus Finnigan told everyone, he'd spent most of his childhood zooming around the countryside on his broomstick and Ron would talk about the time he'd almost hit a hang glider on Charlie's old broom. It was all getting annoying, and Mia found herself dreading the afternoon more and more.

Thankfully, there were others besides her who weren't too keen on flying. Neville Longbottom had never been on a broom before, and he didn't look like he wanted to anytime soon. Hermione also was nervous about flying, and the morning before lessons, she spoke to both Mia and Neville about flying tips she had gotten out of _Quidditch Through the Ages. _Mia hung onto her every word along with Neville, hoping these tips would help her out later on, or at least try to calm her down some. Harry could tell Mia was nervous about all of this, so he tried giving her words of comfort while they ate.

"Don't worry about it so much Mia," he said. "It's only our first lesson, I doubt we'll even go a foot from the ground."

"Harry's right Mia," Ron added in through a mouthful of eggs. "Only an idiot would try to zoom around on their first _try_-_they'd_ be a spot on the ground in less than a minute."

Neville made a small whimper and Mia's face turned pale as she pushed her plate away from her, suddenly losing her appetite. Harry nudged Ron in the ribs while Hermione gave him a stern look. Just then, the mail arrived and the Great Hall was once again filled with owls streaming down towards their owners. Mia could make out Hedwig easily, and the beautiful snowy owl soared down towards Harry and dropped a letter into his lap before coming over to her and doing the same, only her letter came with a small package. Mia smiled as she picked off the note that was attached to the parcel and read:

_Dear Mia,_

_ How are you sweetheart? We miss you so much, the Christmas holidays are much too far away! We are so glad to hear you are enjoying your classes, they sound wonderful. Here's another treat from us, we hope you and your friends like it. _

_Love,_

_Mom, Dad, and Brian_

Deciding to read her letter later on, Mia placed both that and the note inside her bag as she started opening the parcel sitting in her lap, which turned out to be another box of sweets. This one had Mia's favorite, cinnamon cookies, and Harry's favorite, treacle tart.

"Harry, my mum made us some more sweets," she said, holding out the box to him. "Our favorites."

Harry's eyes went wide with excitement and Mia giggled as he quickly snatched some treacle tart out of the box. She offered some to Ron and Hermione, both of whom accepted gratefully before they all got up to leave for their first class. The day went by way too quickly for Mia's liking, and before she knew it, all the Gryffindor first years were racing down the sloping green lawns of the castle, with Mia and Hermione still talking about flying tips. It was a beautiful breezy day, and the grass rippled under their feet as they all walked across the grounds together toward a smooth, flat lawn. Mia saw that the Slytherins were already there, and so were twenty broomsticks lying in neat lines on the ground. Mia had heard Fred and George Weasley complain about the school brooms, saying that some of them started to vibrate if you flew too high, or always flew slightly to the left. The mere thought made her stomach twist again, and she wanted nothing more than to go back up to the castle. When they finally got there, they saw Madame Hooch, their teacher, waiting for them.

"Well, what are you all waiting for?" she barked. "Everyone stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up."

Everyone did as they were told, and Mia glanced down at her broom, forcing herself to calm down. _It's okay, it's just the first lesson, relax._

"Stick out your right hand over your broom," called Madam Hooch at the front. "And say 'Up!'"

"UP!" everyone shouted.

Mia saw Harry's broom jump right up into his hand immediately and she gaped at him. Hers started lifting itself off the ground a few inches, but then fell back down again. She felt a little discouraged, but kept trying. After the third time, her broom finally came up into her hand and she let out a tiny breath of relief. Neville's and Hermione's broom was still on the ground, and Mia could tell that Neville was still petrified. After a couple more minutes, everyone finally had their brooms in their hands, and Madame Hooch started going around and showing them the proper way to mount it. Mia went a little pink when Madame Hooch adjusted her hands so they were in the proper position and she saw that they were trembling. Harry saw this and tried to give her an encouraging smile. She smiled back at him weakly, trying to look braver than she felt. Once they all were mounted correctly, Madame Hooch went back up to the front row.

"Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard," said Madam Hooch. "Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, and then come straight back down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle — three — two —"

Before Madame Hooch could even blow the whistle, Neville pushed off from the ground and rose high into the air. She yelled at him to come back down but from where Mia was standing, Neville had absolutely no control of his broom. He just kept going higher and higher into the air until he was well over twenty feet. Neville looked absolutely terrified and when he glanced down, Mia saw his eyes widen in fear. He started to slip off the side of his broom and Mia gasped as he started plummeting towards the ground. In the next second, Neville smacked into the grass and a nasty crack split through the air, making Mia flinch. Madame Hooch quickly ran over to Neville's side and leaned over him.

"Broken wrist," she muttered softly. "Come on, boy — it's all right, up you get."

She turned to the rest of the class as she helped a tearful Neville to his feet, her yellow eyes sharp.

"None of you is to move while I take this boy to the Hospital Wing! You leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say 'Quidditch.' Come on, dear."

Mia watched sadly as Madame Hooch led Neville away from everyone else and took him back up to the castle. Poor Neville, his wrist must be in so much pain, she hoped the school nurse would be able to fix him up. Mia was broken out of her thoughts by the cackling of Draco Malfoy.

"Did you see his face, the great lump?" he laughed loudly, with the other Slytherins joining him. Mia felt a hot surge of anger course through her.

"Shut up, Malfoy," snapped Parvati Patil.

"Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom?" said Pansy Parkinson, a hard-faced Slytherin girl. "Never thought _you'd _like fat little crybabies, Parvati."

"Look!" said Malfoy suddenly, running forward and snatching something out of the grass. "It's that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him."

He was holding up Neville's Remembrall up for everyone to see. Mia narrowed her eyes and was about to go over and demand Malfoy hand it over, but to her surprise, Harry beat her to the punch.

"Give that here, Malfoy," said Harry quietly. Everyone around him stopped talking and stared. Malfoy looked at him and gave a rather nasty smirk. That can't be good…

"No, I don't think so," he said casually. "I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find. How about — up a tree?"

"Give it _here_!" Harry yelled. Malfoy responded by jumping onto a broomstick and taking off. He zoomed around for a bit, showing off all of his flying skills, before hovering over the top branches of a tall oak tree, the Rememberall still in his hand.

"Come and get it Potter!" he called. Mia inwardly groaned, knowing it was not wise to irritate Harry like this and she was right. Harry didn't need telling twice, and he bent down to pick up his broom.

"No!" said Hermione. "Madame Hooch told us not to move-you'll get us all into trouble!"

Harry ignored her completely. He quickly mounted his broom and then shot up into the air. Mia and the others stared in amazement as Harry flew, his expression one of fierce joy and thrilling excitement. It was nearly impossible to believe this was his first time on a broom. By the way he moved through the air, one would have thought he had been flying all his life, and Mia suddenly felt great admiration towards her friend. Harry took his broom even higher and turned it to face Malfoy, who looked positively stunned that he had actually done it.

"Give it here or I'll knock you off that broom!" Harry yelled at him.

"Oh yeah?" said Malfoy, still looking worried. Harry shot straight at Malfoy, who got out of the way just in time before Harry rammed into him. Harry made a sharp about-face and held his broom steady.

"No Crabbe and Goyle up here to save your neck, Malfoy," Harry called, making Mia smile smugly.

"Catch it if you can then!" Malfoy shouted. He pulled his arm back and threw Neville's Rememberall into high the air. Mia let out a soft cry as Harry immediately went after it as it started to fall towards the ground, going into a perfect dive. He stretched out his hand and when he was a mere foot away from the ground, he caught it. He pulled his broom up straight and landed safely on the grass, the Rememberall in his hand. Mia let out the breath she was holding in and positively beamed at him, completely blown away by his excellent flying. But her excitement was cut short when she heard a loud voice yell from behind them.

"HARRY POTTER!"

Her stomach dropping once again, Mia turned to see Professor McGonagall running over towards them. Her glasses flashed dangerously and her eyes were wide with absolute shock, her face a mix of disbelief and fury.

"_Never-_in all my time at Hogwarts-how _dare_ you-might have broken your neck-"

"It wasn't his fault Professor-"

"Be quiet Miss Patil."

"But Malfoy-"

"That's enoughMr. Weasley!"

"Harry didn't-"

"I said that's _enough _Miss Thatcher! Potter, follow me, now."

Mia looked over at Harry worriedly as he followed McGonagall towards the castle, looking downright miserable and helpless. He glanced at her over his shoulder before he and McGonagall disappeared up the slope. Mia's mind was going a mile a minute. Was Harry going to be expelled? He can't be, he didn't do anything wrong! It was all Malfoy's fault! With that in mind, Mia rounded on the pesty blonde boy, glaring daggers at him.

"Look what you did!" she said. "You got him in trouble!"

"So what?" Malfoy sneered smugly. "The amazing _Boy-Who-Lived _got what he deserved. I'm surprised he even lasted this long. Being raised by filthy Muggles, it's a disgrace! Wonder how long it will take for them to chuck him on the train back to them?"

"Longer than what it's going to take for me to rearrange your teeth," Mia snarled, taking a step forward. Hermione immediately grabbed her arms and held her back, shaking her head frantically.

"No Mia, don't!" she said. "You mustn't fight him, you'll be in so much trouble!"

"You should listen to your friend there Thatcher," said Malfoy, spitting out her name as if it were something disgusting on his tongue. "I bet you can barely even do a proper curse anyway."

"Oh and I suppose _you _can?" Mia seethed at him. "I doubt you could do more than shoot pretty red sparks at me. And I never said I would be using my _wand _to teach you a lesson!"

"Mia, no!" moaned Hermione, tightening her grip on her friend's arm. Rachel Collins suddenly stepped forward and placed her hand on Mia's other arm.

"She's right Mia," Rachel said quietly. "He's really not worth it."

It took some effort, but Hermione and Rachel was able to coax Mia into not hitting Malfoy and turn her away from him and his gang, with Mia's blood still boiling. Nothing else happened until Madame Hooch finally returned after taking Neville to the hospital wing. They resumed with the lesson, and Mia's though she would lose her lunch when she kicked off from the ground and into the air. She gripped the handle of her broom so tight her knuckles were turning white, and she went no higher than three feet before she leaned back towards the ground to dismount. After the lesson, they all headed back up to the castle, and the Gyffindors all went back to the common room. While they were there, Mia noticed that Harry was nowhere to be seen, and her worry crept back to her. Where is he? He couldn't have gotten into serious trouble, could he? Figuring she would see him at dinner, Mia decided to spend some time studying at a corner table with Hermione and Rachel to distract herself while Ron challenged Seamus and Dean to a game of Exploding Snaps. At about six o'clock, they all went down to the Great Hall to eat, and when they came to the hall, Mia heard her name being called, so she turned around to see Harry sprinting down the staircase towards them.

"Harry! Where have you been?" said Mia.

"We thought you might have been expelled," said Ron in relief.

"I thought I was too," Harry panted. For some reason he had a wide smile on his face, and Mia could see he was itching to tell them something.

"What's up Harry?" she asked.

"Come on, I'll tell you inside," he replied, taking her arm and leading them into the Great Hall. Their food appeared immediately when they sat down, and Ron instantly started piling his plate with everything he could reach.

"So what happened Harry?" Ron said. "McGonagall didn't punish you did she?"

"No," said Harry, looking around before leaning in closer to them, keeping his voice low. "I thought I was going to be expelled, but she took me to see this guy named Wood. She took us into a private room, then she turned to him and said that she had found him a Seeker for the Quidditch team."

"What?!" gasped Mia, understanding what this meant.

"You're _joking,_" said Ron incredulously, a piece of steak and kidney pie halfway to his mouth. "Seeker? But first years never — you must be the youngest house player in about —"

" — a century," said Harry, shoveling pie into his mouth. "Wood told me."

Ron was so amazed, so impressed, he just sat and gaped at Harry while Mia beamed proudly at him.

"Harry that's wonderful!" she gushed. "I can see why, you were amazing today on that broom! How could they not allow you on the team? This is great, I'm sure you'll be brilliant."

"Thanks Mia," said Harry with a wide grin. "I start training next week, only don't tell anyone, Wood wants to keep it a secret."

"I'm not sure that's going to last very long," Mia giggled. At that moment, she saw Fred and George enter the hall, and when they spotted Harry, they quickly made their way over.

"Well done," said George in a low voice once they reached them. "Wood just told us. We're on the team too — Beaters."

"I tell you, we're going to win that Quidditch cup for sure this year," said Fred with a wistful grin. "We haven't won since Charlie left, but this year's team is going to be brilliant. You must be good Harry, Wood was almost skipping when he told us."

"And you'll come to all our games, right Mia love?" said George, with his big blue eyes, making Mia laugh.

"Of course I will, I have to be there to cheer for my favorite Beaters," said Mia with a wink.

"See Fred, I told you she loved us," said George proudly, puffing out his chest in a strong imitation of Percy.

"Who wouldn't, dear brother?" said Fred with a twinkle in his eyes as he looked at Harry and Ron. "Now don't you two be jealous, we'll be sure to share her. Anyway, we've got to go, Lee Jordan reckons he's found a new secret passageway out of the school."

"Bet it's that one behind the statue of Gregory the Smarmy that we found in our first week," mused George thoughtfully. "See you."

The twins waved goodbye as they set out for the hall exit and Ron smirked at Mia.

"Never thought I'd see the day Fred and George get wrapped around someone's finger," he chortled.

"It's a gift, what can I say," Mia sighed, sending a smile over to Harry, who laughed in return. However his laughter died out and he made a face when three less than pleasant people started walking towards them: Malfoy and his two baboons.

"Having a last meal, Potter? When are you getting the train back to the Muggles?"

"You're a lot braver now that you're back on the ground and you've got your little friends with you," said Harry coolly. There was of course nothing at all little about Crabbe and Goyle, but as the High Table was full of teachers, neither of them could do more than crack their knuckles and scowl.

"I'd take you on anytime on my own," said Malfoy. "Tonight, if you want. Wizard's duel. Wands only — no contact. What's the matter? Never heard of a wizard's duel before, I suppose?"

"Of course she has," said Ron, wheeling around. "I'm his second, who's yours?"

_What in the world is going on? _Mia couldn't help but wonder while Malfoy sized up Crabbe and Goyle.

"Crabbe," he said. "Midnight all right? We'll meet you in the trophy room; that's always unlocked."

"What _is_ a wizard's duel?" said Mia. "And what do you mean, you're his second?"

"Well, a second's there to take over if you die," said Ron.

"What?!" said Mia loudly.

"But people only die in proper duels, you know, with real wizards," Ron added quickly. " The most Harry and Malfoy'll be able to do is send sparks at each other. Neither of them knows enough magic to do any real damage. I bet he expected Harry to refuse, anyway."

"And what if I wave my wand and nothing happens?" said Harry.

"Throw it away and punch him on the nose," Ron suggested.

"I'm not so sure about this guys," said Mia. "I don't think Malfoy's really the kind to follow through with a duel challenge."

"Then why would he make one?" said Harry.

"Maybe to get you riled up? Ron could be right, he probably expected you to refuse, but what's to say he was serious?"

"Come on Mia, this is the perfect chance to shut the git up and give him what he deserves," said Ron.

"Excuse me."

The three of them stopped talking and looked up to see Hermione staring at them with a disapproving expression.

"Can't a person eat in peace in this place?" said Ron. Mia shot him a look while Hermione ignored him and spoke to Harry.

"I couldn't help overhearing what you and Malfoy were saying —"

"Bet you could," Ron muttered.

"— and you _mustn't _go wandering around the school at night, think of the points you'll lose Gryffindor if you're caught, and you're bound to be. It's really very selfish of you."

"And it's really none of your business," said Harry.

"Good-bye," said Ron. Hermione huffed and walked away, leaving Mia to scowl heavily at them.

"Why must you two be so mean to her?" she said. "She's just concerned."

"She shouldn't be, it has nothing to do with her," Ron answered, filling his mouth with food. Mia rolled her eyes at him and turned to Harry.

"You're really not thinking about doing this are you?" she asked him.

"I'm not giving him the satisfaction of acting like a chicken," said Harry. Mia frowned at him, made a sound of annoyance, and went back to her dinner.

_Boys are so stupid…_

…..

Mia awoke in the late hours of the night to the sound of shuffling in the dormitory. Moaning softly and cursing whatever was making the noise, she moved around underneath her warm blanket, opening her tired and bleary eyes, giving them a chance to adjust to the darkness. She saw the outline of something pink rummaging around the room in a quick haste. After a few more seconds, she realized there was a bushy head attached to the pink creature.

"Hermione?" Mia said groggily.

"Shh, go back to sleep Mia," Hermione whispered.

"What are you doing? Do you know how late it is?" Mia said. Hermione didn't answer, and in the next second, Mia heard the door open and quickly close. Groaning, she propped herself up on her arm and leaned over the bed to squint at Lavender's clock that sat on her table. It was twenty minutes past eleven and Mia groaned again, knowing what Hermione was planning to do. Mumbling about lack of beauty sleep and about killing Harry and Ron, Mia reluctantly sat up in bed, still trying to wake up all the way. Feeling around in the dark for her robe, she climbed out of bed and slipped into her blue slippers, intending on following Hermione downstairs. As much as she didn't want Harry or Ron to go, she knew it would be useless trying to talk them out of it. The least she could do was try to talk to Hermione before another fight breaks out. Once she finally had her robe on, she grabbed her wand from her table and shuffled towards the door. Walking down the spiral staircase, she could hear voices coming from the common room.

"You!" came Ron's furious voice. "Go back to bed!"

"I almost told your brother," Mia heard Hermione snap. "Percy — he's a prefect, he'd put a stop to this."

"What is going on?!" Mia yelled in a whisper as she reached the bottom of the stairs. There was Hermione, looking downright angry, and Ron and Harry, who appeared beyond annoyed and frustrated.

"They're going to meet Malfoy!" Hermione hissed. "They're going to get caught!"

Mia, pinched the bridge of her nose and then frowned at the boys.

"Guys, I'm sorry, but I'm with Hermione on this one, but only because I seriously doubt Malfoy will show up," said Mia. "Then all of this would be for nothing."

"It's fine Mia," said Ron, exasperated. "If he doesn't show, then he's a bloody coward. Just take her and go back to bed."

"I'm not going anywhere!" said Hermione.

"Hermione, nothing's going to stop them," said Mia. She looked over at Harry and gave him a very stern look, silently telling him that he had better be careful. She knew him long enough to know that once Harry's mind is set on something, nothing is going to stop him. Harry stared back at her a little guiltily for a moment. He knew she didn't want him to go, and she knew that he wasn't going to miss out on this opportunity to show Malfoy what he was worth.

"Come on," he muttered to Ron, then they started across the portrait hole. But, to Mia's dismay, Hermione wasn't going to give up that easily. She followed the boys through the portrait hole, and out into the corridor.

"Hermione!" whined Mia as she jogged after her.

"Don't you _care _about Gryffindor?" Hermione said. "Do you _only_ care about yourselves?_ I_ don't want Slytherin to win the house cup, and you'll lose all the points I got from Professor McGonagall for knowing about Switching Spells."

"Go away!" snapped Ron.

"Hermione please," said Mia.

"All right, but I warned you, you just remember what I said when you're on the train home tomorrow, you're so —"

But what they were, they didn't find out, for Hermione had stopped speaking. Mia turned around to see what she was staring at and her stomach dropped. The portrait leading into Gryffindor Tower was empty. The Fat Lady had gone on some nighttime stroll and they were locked out.

"Oh no," Mia whispered.

"Now what are we going to do?" Hermione said shrilly.

"That's your problem," said Ron. "We've got to go, we're going to be late."

He and Harry set off down the corridor. Hermione and Mia shared a look with each other before they ran after them.

"We're coming with you," Hermione said.

"You are _not,_" said Ron.

"Oh yes we are," countered Mia. "I'm wide awake now, might as well follow you guys."

"And do you really think we're going to stand out here and wait for Filch to catch us? If he finds all four of us we'll tell him the truth, that Mia and I were trying to stop you, and you can back us up."

"You've got some nerve-"

"Shut up, both of you!" said Harry sharply. "I heard something."

There was a sort of soft snuffling sound coming from the floor next to them, and they all squinted to see what it was. It actually turned out to be Neville, who was fast asleep on the floor by the wall. What in the world was Neville doing sleeping out in the corridor in the middle of the night? When Harry crept closer to him, he quickly jerked awake.

"Thank goodness you found me!" he said, gratitude lacing his voice. "I've been out here for hours, I couldn't remember the new password to get into bed."

"Keep your voice down Neville. The password's 'Pig Snout', but it won't help you now, the Fat Lady's gone off somewhere," said Ron.

"How's your wrist?" Mia asked him.

"Fine," said Neville, sniffing. "Madame Pomfrey mended it in about a minute."

"Good-well, look Neville, we've got to be somewhere, we'll see you later-"

"Don't leave me!" said Neville, scrambling to his feet. "I don't want to stay here alone, the Bloody Baron's been past twice already."

Ron looked down at his wristwatch and then looked back up, glaring at Neville and Hermione.

"If either of you get us caught, I'll never rest until I've learned the curse of the Bogies Quirrell told us about and used it on you."

Hermione opened her mouth, perhaps to tell Ron exactly how to use the Curse of the Bogies, but Harry hissed at her to be quiet and beckoned them all forward. The five of them made their way down the corridors silently, keeping an eye and ear out for Filch or his cat, Mrs. Norris. Thankfully, they did not run into either of them. They stuck together in a group, speeding up staircases and around corners. After a little while they finally came to the Trophy room. Double checking to make sure no one was there, Harry carefully opened the door and everyone followed him inside. Closing it behind her, Mia looked around to see that Malfoy and Crabbe weren't there yet. Stacked up along the walls were tall crystal trophy cases, holding all kinds of different awards. They all waited quietly for Malfoy to arrive and Harry took out his wand. The minutes crept by slowly and Mia wrapped her arms around herself, feeling a little uneasy. Five minutes passed…then ten…

"He's late, maybe he's chickened out," Ron whispered. Before anyone could say anything, there was a sudden noise that came from the next room, making them jump. Then, to their horror they heard someone speak, and it definitely wasn't Malfoy.

"Sniff around my sweet, they might be lurking in a corner."

"_Filch!" _Mia gasped. In the next moment, Sara and the others were quickly running out of the room, trying to get way from Filch's voice. Harry gestured for them to follow him and they went down a long gallery full of suits of armor. While they scurried to the end of the hall, they could hear Filch getting closer, and Mia's heartbeat doubled. Just as they were almost at the end, Neville gave a yelp of fear and broke into a run. Before anyone could stop him, he tripped, grabbed Ron around the waist, and then they both crashed right into a suit of armor. Mia cringed as the metal suit fell over top of Ron and Neville, the clanging and crashing sounds echoing throughout the halls.

"RUN!" Harry shouted. In the next second, all five of them were sprinting down the corridor like a herd of deer, putting as much distance between them and Filch as possible. Harry led them through corridor after corridor, the portraits and windows flying past them. Eventually, they finally found themselves outside of the charms classroom and they stopped to rest. Everyone was panting heavily, with Mia clutching her side and Neville doubled over, wheezing.

"I think we lost him," said Harry.

"I-_told_-you," Hermione gasped, glaring at them. "I-told-you."

"Not the best time Hermione," Mia panted.

"We've got to get back to Gryffindor tower," said Ron. "As quickly as possible."

"Malfoy tricked you," Hermione said to Harry. "You realize that don't you? He was never going to meet you-Filch knew someone was going to be in the trophy room, Malfoy must have tipped him off."

Harry didn't say anything and Mia just shook her head. He knew Hermione was right. Challenging them to a duel was just a way for Malfoy to humiliate them and get them into trouble, and they fell for it. Despite what Harry and Ron may think of Hermione, they really need to learn to listen to her sometimes.

"Let's go," he said. Just as they started walking forward, a classroom door to their left burst open and Peeves the Poltergeist came zooming out. The minute he caught sight of them he gave a loud squeal of delight.

"Shut up Peeves," said Harry. "Please-you'll get us thrown out."

"Wandering around at midnight Ickle Firsties? Tut, tut, tut. Naughty, naughty, you'll get caughty."

"Not if you don't give us away Peeves, please."

"Should tell Filch, I should," said Peeves. "It's for your own good you know."

"Get out of the way!" Ron snapped, taking a swing at Peeves.

"Ron, don't!" said Mia.

"STUDENTS OUT OF BED!" Peeves hollered. "STUDENTS OUT OF BED IN THE CHARMS CORRIDOR!"

They all took off, running for their very lives. When they came to the end of the corridor, they found a door-and it was locked.

"This is it!" Ron moaned. "We're done for! This is the end!"

"Oh move over!" Hermione snarled, grabbing Harry's wand and shoving past Ron. She tapped the lock on the door and whispered, "_Alohomora!_"

There was a tiny click and the door instantly opened. They all filed in and shut the door behind them. Once they were safely inside, they pressed their ears against the door to hear what was going on outside.

"Which way did they go Peeves?" came Filch's voice. "Quick, tell me."

"Say 'please'," said Peeves.

"Don't mess with me Peeves, now _where did they go?_"

"Shan't say nothing if you don't say please," Peeves answered in his annoying singsong voice.

"All right-_please._"

"NOTHING! Ha haaaaa! Told you I wouldn't say nothing if you didn't say please! Ha ha! Haaaaa!"

They heard Peeves whooshing away and Filch cursing in rage. Mia let out a shaky breath she had been holding in and slumped against the door. That was close, too close for comfort.

"He thinks this door is locked," Harry whispered. "I think we'll be okay-get _off _Neville!"

Neville had been tugging on the sleeve of Harry's bathrobe for the last minute or so. His face was as pale as death and his eyes were wide and contorted with absolute fear.

"Neville, what's wrong?" Mia said. Neville didn't respond, so Mia turned to see what had made him so frightened. In that instant her heart ceased beating. Fear started spreading through her body like wildfire and her insides were filled with dread. The door they had just run through did not lead to a room, but into another corridor. The third floor corridor. And Mia saw quite clearly why it was forbidden.

They were looking straight into the eyes of a monstrous dog, one that filled the whole space between the ceiling and floor. It had three gigantic heads, three pairs of piercing yellow eyes, three black, wet noses, and three mouths with drool dripping down from razor sharp fangs. The dog stood quite still, staring them down and growling. Mia started trembling and pushed herself flat against the door. She saw Harry move in front of her while trying to reach for the doorknob. He quickly twisted it open and everyone fell backwards out into the corridor in a loud heap of bodies. Harry slammed the door shut, locked it, and then they were flying back down the corridor. Mia pushed her legs faster as they raced through the castle, up the staircases and down the dark halls. In what seemed like no time at all, they found themselves back in front of the Fat Lady's portrait.

"Where on earth have you all been?" she asked them.

"Never mind that-pig snout, pig snout," Harry gasped. The portrait swung open and they all rushed forward into the safety of the common room. Every one of them collapsed into an armchair, taking a moment to catch their breaths. Mia took in slow steady breaths, trying to stop her body from shaking.

"What do they think they're doing, keeping a thing like that locked up in a school?" said Ron. "If any dog needs exercise, that one does."

"You don't use your eyes, do you?" Hermione snapped at him. "Didn't you see what it was standing on?"

"The floor?" Harry suggested. "I wasn't looking at its feet, I was too busy with its heads."

"No, _not _the floor. It was standing on a trapdoor. It's obviously guarding something."

Hermione stood up from the armchair, her eyes burning as she glared at Harry and Ron.

"I hope you're pleased with yourselves. We could have all been killed-or worse, expelled. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to bed."

Hermione marched away towards the door leading up to the girl's dormitories and disappeared behind it.

"No, we don't mind," Ron said. "You'd think we dragged her along, wouldn't you?"

Normally, Mia would have told Ron off for saying that to Hermione, but she was way too shaken up by what just happened. Her heart was still going a million miles an hour and she was doing her best to calm herself. Harry saw this and he immediately came and sat down next to her, placing his arm around her.

"Are you okay Mia?" he said, his voice laced with concern.

"I-I'm okay," she whispered, before her eyes narrowed dangerously. "I swear, when I'm through with Malfoy he won't be able to sit right for a week!"

**Rate and Review Please! **


	11. How Three Becomes Four

**Phew! This has been my longest chapter yet, and I gotta say, I'm quite proud of it! It took me forever to finish, and now since it is after two in the morning, this girl needs some good old beauty sleep. I really hope you guys like it, and you know the drill. Anything you like, don't like, something I got wrong, let me know. Until then, I will see you in the next chapter, and don't forget to review! Enjoy!**

Chapter Eleven: How Three Becomes Four

MPOV

It took a couple days for Mia to get over her nerves about their encounter with the three headed dog. The day after it happened, it took both Ron and Harry to keep her back when they saw Malfoy walking down the corridor. Eventually she calmed down and started acting like her normal self again, trying to forget it ever happened. Harry and Ron saw the experience as a great adventure and were very eager to have another one while Neville and Hermione had no interest of going near the dog again. Hermione had stopped talking to Harry and Ron, which they didn't seem to mind, and only sat with Mia during class, in the common room, and sometimes in the Great Hall. Mia was finding it hard to spend time with all of her friends on top of her work, and she hated being in the middle of it all. About a week after their late night adventure, Mia and Hermione were sitting in the library working on their Potions assignment, and Mia was trying, yet again, to convince Hermione to talk to Harry and Ron.

"Hermione, I know what they did was stupid, but we didn't make it easy by going with them either," said Mia.

"They nearly got us expelled Mia!" said Hermione with narrowed eyes. "Why are you sticking up for them?"

"I'm not!" Mia protested. "I'm trying to make peace so it doesn't feel like I'm choosing between my friends!"

Hermione's expression softened at this, and she looked somewhat guilty.

"I'm sorry Mia," she said. "I don't mean to put you in the middle, I really don't, but they just make me so angry. If they would swallow their pride and admit they were wrong then maybe I'd talk to them. Although I don't see the point, they don't like me anyway. No one does."

"I do Hermione," Mia said gently. "You're my best girl friend."

"Really?" asked Hermione, looking stunned at this information.

"Of course you are. Honestly, do you think I keep you around just for kicks? You're a sweet person, and the smartest witch in our year. You're a great person to talk to, and I can tell you about anything. Ron and Harry are great, but there are just some subjects you can't discuss with boys."

Hermione smiled and laughed at that while pulling Mia in for a tight hug, which she happily returned before they got back to work. Despite having Snape for a teacher, Mia was surprised to see that she was actually very good at Potions. She didn't struggle as much as her classmates, and it amused her to see Snape walk by and sneer whenever he saw that her potion was brewing properly, although he refused to give her any points for it. He took comfort in his usual routine of bullying and taking points from all the other Gryffindors. Other than Potions, all of Mia's other classes were going quite well. She was excelling at Astronomy, and her work in Herbology was quickly escalating. She and Hermione were usually the first one in class to complete their assignments, and while Hermione was happy to show others, Mia was more modest about it. She was just happy to be getting the overall experience.

The following morning, Mia and Hermione went down to breakfast together, talking about the upcoming Halloween feast.

"I heard it's supposed to be wonderful," said Hermione. "With floating pumpkins and live bats."

"There's a rumor going around that Dumbledore hired a band of dancing skeletons. But then again, Fred and George started it, so I'm not sure if it's true," said Mia.

They continued talking until they reached the Great Hall, where they sat only a couple seats down from Harry and Ron. Not too long afterwards, the mail came and Mia reached into her bag to pull out a letter that Harry said she could send off with Hedwig. She smiled as the snowy owl came into view, swooping down and landing next to Harry. After taking some of his toast and nipping his ear, she hopped on over to Mia, as if she somehow knew she was needed, and held her leg out. After Hedwig took off with Mia's message, her attention was averted to a long thin package that was heading towards their table, carried by six owls. Everyone stopped for a moment to stare at the package, and Mia was surprised to see that the owls dropped it off right in front of Harry. She gave him a questioning stare to which he only shrugged and then moved to read the note attached to it.

"That looks awfully like a broomstick," said Hermione, glaring disapprovingly at the package.

"Really?" said Mia with a grin. "Maybe McGonagall got him one for making the team."

"They shouldn't be giving out awards for breaking the rules!" Hermione hissed. "Honestly, it'll go straight to their heads!"

"It's not all that bad Hermione," said Mia with a shrug. "Harry can't play without a broom anyway."

Hermione grumbled under her breath and turned back to her food. Mia watched in amusement as Harry shared the note with Ron, who looked longingly at the package. The boys quickly finished their breakfast, grabbed the broom, and hurried out of the hall, most likely to go and open it in their dormitory. She shook her head fondly and continued on eating her meal. While they ate, Mia saw someone out of the corner out of her eye come over and sit down beside her. She turned her head and smiled when she saw that it was Jenna. The young blonde had become another good companion of Mia's, they would usually hang out together in class and sometimes at dinner and on the weekends.

"Hi Jenna," she greeted.

"Hi guys," Jenna said with a bright smile. "You ready for class?"

"Just waiting for this slow poke," Mia said, grinning at Hermione.

"Oh shut up," said Hermione, but with a smile on her face.

"How's Hufflepuff treating you?" Mia asked.

"It's really great," said Jenna. "Everyone is so nice, and the common room is amazing! If I'm allowed, maybe I can show it to you guys sometime."

"That would be cool," said Mia with an eager nod. "I don't think the houses mingle too much outside of class. It would be great if we could visit each other's common rooms!"

"I just wish I could have been with Derrick, though," said Jenna, a little sadly. "We were always together when we were younger."

"I'm sure you'll still be able to spend time with him," said Hermione comfortingly, setting down her fork and knife. "Now that the slow poke is done, are you ready to go to class?"

Mia and Jenna nodded their heads, both of them giggling. The three of them stood up from the table and made their way out into the entrance hall, where they saw Harry, Ron, Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, and Professor Flitwick standing on the marble staircase. Growing concerned, Mia followed the girls as they walked closer, listening to what was going on.

"Yes, yes, that's right," Professor Flitwick was saying. "Professor McGonagall told me all about the special circumstances, Potter. And what model is it?"

"A Nimbus Two Thousand, sir," said Harry, grinning. "And it's really thanks to Malfoy here that I've got it."

Mia had to hold her hand to her mouth to keep herself from laughing at the look on Malfoy's face as Harry and Ron continued up the stairs.

"Well then, off you go boys, don't want to be late for class," Professor Flitwick squeaked before continuing on his way. Malfoy's face twisted into one of rage and humility before stomping off with Crabbe and Goyle at his sides. Mia kept on laughing silently as she, Hermione and Jenna walked up the staircase after Harry and Ron.

"What just happened?" asked Jenna as they climbed. "Why does Harry have a Nimbus Two Thousand? I thought first years aren't allowed to have brooms."

"They're not," said Hermione angrily, her eyes burning in the direction of the boys. Mia sighed and turned to Jenna.

"Promise you won't tell?" she said, to which Jenna nodded. "Well, at our flying lessons with the Slytherins, Malfoy took something of Neville Longbottom's and threw it in the air. Harry dived after it so fast, it was amazing! He's fantastic on a broom, and he was seen by McGonagall. We thought he would get in trouble, but he actually made it on the team as a Seeker."

"Really?" gasped Jenna in admiration. "That's amazing!"

Hermione gave a huff and went faster up the steps, so the three of them were very close to the boys.

"Well, it's true," they heard Harry chortle as they reached the top of the staircase, "If he hadn't stolen Neville's Remembrall I wouldn't be on the team…"

"So I suppose you think that's a reward for breaking rules?" said Hermione, striding past them and looking disapprovingly at the package in Harry's hand.

"I thought you weren't speaking to us?" said Harry.

"Yes, don't stop now," said Ron. "It's doing us so much good."

"Ron!" said Mia as Hermione marched away. "You know, I'm really trying to keep the peace here and stay neutral between my friends, but you three are not making it easy."

Mia quickly went after Hermione with Jenna hot on her heels, not noticing the uncomfortable looks on Harry and Ron's faces. A while later, they were all in History of Magic, trying not to fall asleep while Professor Binns droned on and on about some historic goblin war that took places over five hundred years ago. Mia tried to pay attention so she could keep up with her notes, but often found her mind wandering elsewhere. Just then, she felt something brush her shoulder, and she saw a piece of parchment flutter over her shoulder and fall onto her desk. Curious, she placed her quill down and unfolded the piece of parchment and saw that it was a note.

_**Sorry about before Mia. We don't mean to keep putting you in the middle. Listen, Wood is going to be giving me my first training session tonight. Will you come with me?**_

_** -HP**_

Mia glanced over her shoulder to see Harry sitting behind her, staring meaningfully at her with a barely awake Ron sitting next to him, his cheek in his palm, snoring softly. One look at his pleading face, and Mia knew she couldn't say no. She smiled at him before turning back to the slip of parchment and grabbing her quill.

_**Honestly, can I **__**ever **__**stay annoyed at you? Of course I'll come down with you tonight. And you might want to wake Ron up, class will be over soon. **_

_** -MT**_

Mia carefully folded the note back up, and when she knew Professor Binns wasn't looking, she whispered a few words and made the note glide over her shoulder and into Harry's waiting hands. She saw Hermione give her a look, which she answered with a sheepish smile. The rest of the class continued on in its same boring fashion until it was time to go. Mia packed up her things and walked out with Hermione and Jenna, smiling at Harry as she went past him. Throughout the day, Mia went through all her classes and she found herself looking forward to going with Harry to meet up with Wood. When they finished with their last class of the day, she found herself lounging outside by the lake with Harry and Ron, their homework spilled out around them.

"Ron, you've got your theories mixed up," said Mia as she scanned over his essay. "It was Rodolf Hemmer who created the three step analysis of transfiguring moving objects, not Markel Brignola."

Ron groaned as he took back his parchment and started scratching out lines with his quill while Mia giggled. One of the good things about being friends with Hermione is that there was never any trouble of them getting their work done on time. So while Harry and Ron were doing their work, Mia was happily scribbling away on her sketchpad, her cheek resting against her hand as she worked. Right now she was drawing two darkly shaded figures that had half of their limbs. Harry was sitting cross legged on the grass searching through a book while Ron had his essay propped up against a book that was held up on his knees, leaning back against the tree. Mia was determined to improve her work, wanting to capture this moment with her friends perfectly. She had her tongue between her teeth, glancing up at either Harry or Ron once in a while. She had Ron's upper body done, and was currently finishing off Harry's legs. Her sketchpad was filled with many drawings. Ever since she has come to Hogwarts, she has been found trying to capture everything around her on paper. She still refused to let anyone see them, for she wanted to keep them all to herself for the time being and she was delighted at the fact that only she could make Harry and Ron sit still long enough.

Mia paused for a moment in her work to look around at the grounds. The air around Hogwarts was steadily becoming filled with the essence of Fall. The soft breezes were getting stronger and colder, rustling around the rapidly changing colors of the trees.

"I can't believe we've been here for two months already," said Mia thoughtfully. "Soon enough it'll be time to go home for Christmas."

"I might not be going home," said Ron. "My parents are thinking about going to visit my brother Charlie in Romania."

"He's the one that works with dragons, right?" asked Mia.

"Yeah," said Ron. "He been obsessed with them ever since he could walk, it drives my mum mad."

"You can choose whether you want to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas?" asked Harry.

"Yeah. We usually go home every year, but whenever Fred and George stayed, they said the castle looks amazing around that time, they decorate the Great hall and everything. Are you going home Harry?"

"No," said Harry instantly. "I think I'd rather stay here."

Mia and Ron stared at Harry for a moment before he cleared his throat and changed the subject, making Mia gaze at him carefully. What was all that about? True, the Dursleys weren't the nicest people around, but surely they would want Harry home for the holidays? Now that she thought about it, Harry never really seemed to look forward to the Christmas holidays, and he was always so sad around that time of year. Watching her friend, Mia decided an urgent letter to her parents were in order. They didn't say another word on the subject as they continued working. After a while, Ron, who decided he needed a break, stood up from the ground, stretched, and walked over to the edge of the lake to start skipping rocks. A light bulb seemed to go off in Mia's head and a wicked grin came across her face. Moving slowly, she too stood from the ground and casually made her way over to Ron. Harry looked up from his books and his eyes widened when he saw what Mia was planning to do.

"Ron, move-"

It was too late. Mia ran up behind the redhead and gave him one rough push. Ron lost his balance and started flaring his arms about. Tripping over his own feet he started falling and, desperate, he latched onto the sleeve of Mia's robes taking her down with him. She let out a short squeal before the two of them tumbled into the shallow end of the water. The cold water made goose bumps shoot up both of her arms and Mia immediately sprung out, wrapping her arms around herself.

"Mia!" Ron hollered, jumping back onto land and glaring at her, his body soaked and his teeth chattering. "What the bloody hell was that for?!"

"You weren't supposed to drag me in with you!" Mia said, her voice as shaky as her body as she ran back onto land as well. Ron opened his mouth to retort, but before he could, they were interrupted by howling laughter. They turned their heads to see Harry falling onto his side, laughing his head off at the two of them. Ron and Mia looked at each other for a second, and then smiled.

"Harry," Mia whined, walking towards him with her arms spread wide. "I'm really cold, can I have a hug to get warmed up?"

Harry stopped laughing immediately, his eyes growing wide. He sprang up to his feet and started running away with Mia hot on his tail. She chased him around the tree, the both of them laughing loudly, and Harry soon found himself flanked on both sides as Ron decided to step in. He grabbed a hold of Harry from behind and turned him around to face a triumphant looking Mia. Harry vainly tried to break free as Mia calmly came forward and in the next second, he found himself being hugged from both ends, getting soaked himself. A little while later, the three of them were walking back up to the castle to get ready for dinner, with Harry grumbling, Ron smirking, and Mia smiling sweetly. When they reached the Gryffindor common room, they all decided to get nice hot showers before going down to dinner, and they could open the Nimbus Two Thousand when they returned. Mia giggled at the strange look Hermione gave her when she entered their dormitory dripping wet, and headed straight for the showers. The water felt amazing on her skin, and after about fifteen minutes, she got out, got dressed, and meet up with the boys to go down to eat.

Soon enough, they were back up in the common room, and Mia followed harry and Ron up to the boys dormitories so they could unwrap Harry's new broom. Mia jumped onto Harry's bed and waited patiently as he took off the parcel bindings. Her mouth dropped open in awe as the beautiful broomstick rolled out onto the bed, its mahogany handle shining in the light. It looked so seek and smooth, Mia ran her hand down from the handle to the perfectly trimmed tail.

"You are so lucky Harry," Ron muttered as he too admired the broom. These are the fastest in the league!"

"I can't see how you cannot win with this," said Mia, beaming. "I can't wait to see you fly on it!"

As seven o'clock drew nearer, Harry and Mia decided it was time to go and meet up with Wood. They left the castle and set off across the grounds toward the Quidditch field. Mia gazed around in interest, having never seen a Quidditch stadium before. Hundreds of seats were raised in stands around the field so that the spectators were high enough to see what was going on. At either end of the field were three golden poles with hoops on the end. As Mia stared around, Harry quickly jumped on his broom, a grin lighting up his face.

"You want a ride?" he asked her.

"Oh no," said Mia taking a step back. "I think I'll keep my feet on the ground, thanks."

"Suit yourself," Harry shrugged before he kicked hard off the ground and soared into the air. Mia watched him as he flew around the pitch, a look of sheer joy on his face. He dived and swerved, circling in and out of the goal posts, making Mia laugh at his excitement. At that moment she heard a voice shout from behind her.

"Hey, Potter, come down!"

Mia looked to see that Oliver Wood had arrived. He was walking towards her, carrying a large wooden crate under his arm. Harry sped towards them and then landed next to him.

"Very nice," said Wood, his eyes glinting. "I see what McGonagall meant… you really are a natural. I'm just going to teach you the rules this evening, then you'll be joining team practice three times a week. And who are you?"

His eyes found Mia, who came over to stand next to Harry.

"This is my friend, Mia," said Harry. "Is it okay if she stays and watches?"

"I don't know, no one is supposed to know you're on the team," Wood said carefully as he studied the small girl I front of him.

"Oh please, I promise I won't tell," said Mia, pulled out her best puppy dog look. "I'm interested in learning about Quidditch, and I really want to see Harry fly. Pretty please?"

"Well, all right," said Wood after a few seconds, though with a small smile. "Right. Now, Quidditch is easy enough to understand, even if it's not too easy to play. There are seven players on each side. Three of them are called Chasers."

"Three Chasers," Harry repeated, as Wood took out a bright red ball about the size of a football.

"This ball's called the Quaffle," said Wood. "The Chasers throw the Quaffle to each other and try and get it through one of the hoops to score a goal. Ten points every time the Quaffle goes through one of the hoops. Follow me?"

"The Chasers throw the Quaffle and put it through the hoops to score," Harry recited. "So-that's sort of like basketball on broomsticks with six hoops, isn't it?"

"What's basketball?" said Wood curiously.

"Muggle sport," Mia answered simply.

"Now, there's another player on each side who's called the Keeper — I'm Keeper for Gryffindor. I have to fly around our hoops and stop the other team from scoring."

"Three Chasers, one Keeper," said Harry, who looked like he was determined to remember it all. "And they play with the Quaffle. Okay, got that. So what are they for?"

He pointed at the three balls left inside the box, two of which seemed to be struggling against their binds, making the crate shake fiercely. Mia stared at them curiously.

"I'll show you now. Take this," said Wood, holding out a small club that looked a lot like a baseball bat. "I'm going to show you what the Bludgers do. These two are the Bludgers."

He showed Harry two identical balls, jet black and slightly smaller than the red Quaffle. Then he told Harry and Mia to stand back before he bent down and released one of the Bludgers from the box. In an instant, the black ball rose high in the air and then came straight for Mia. She let out a sharp yelp and ducked while Harry quickly ran in front of her and swung at it with the with all his might, sending it zigzagging away into the air — it zoomed around their heads and then shot at Wood, who dived on top of it and managed to pin it to the ground. Harry and Mia watched as he struggled to put the Bludger back inside the box.

"See?" Wood panted. "The Bludgers rocket around, trying to knock players off their brooms. That's why you have two Beaters on each team — the Weasley twins are ours — it's their job to protect their side from the Bludgers and try and knock them toward the other team.

"I feel bad for Fred and George for having to put up with that," said Mia as she straightened back up, watching the Bludgers wearily.

"It's okay, they're some of the best Beaters we've ever had," said Wood. "So — think you've got all that?"

"Three Chasers try and score with the Quaffle," said Harry.

"The Keeper guards the goal posts," added Mia.

"And the Beaters keep the Bludgers away from their team," Harry finished.

"Very good," said Wood with an impressed smile. "You going to try out for the team next year Mia?"

Mia's face grew uncomfortable and Harry grinned.

"She hates flying," he snickered, dodging her fist when she went to punch him on the arm.

"Er — have the Bludgers ever killed anyone?" Mia asked, trying to keep her voice from shaking.

"Never at Hogwarts," Wood replied. "We've had a couple of broken jaws but nothing worse than that. Now, the last member of the team is the Seeker. That's you Harry. And you don't have to worry about the Quaffle or the Bludgers —"

"Unless they crack my head open," Harry muttered.

"Don't worry, the Weasleys are more than a match for the Bludgers — I mean, they're like a pair of human Bludgers themselves**."**

Mia laughed as Wood reached into the crate and took out the fourth and last ball. Compared with the Quaffle and the Bludgers, it was tiny, about the size of a large walnut. It was bright gold and had little fluttering silver wings. Wood held it in his palm and Mia looked at it in wonder.

"This," said Wood, "is the Golden Snitch, and it's the most important ball of the lot. It's very hard to catch because it's so fast and difficult to see. It's the Seeker's job to catch it. You've got to weave in and out of the Chasers, Beaters, Bludgers, and Quaffle to get it before the other team's Seeker, because whichever Seeker catches the Snitch wins their team an extra hundred and fifty points, so they nearly always 's why Seekers get fouled so much. A game of Quidditch only ends when the Snitch is caught, so it can go on for ages — I think the record is three months, they had to keep bringing on substitutes so the players could get some sleep. Well, that's it any questions?"

"Yes," said Mia seriously before turning to Harry. "When would you like to write out your last will and testament?"

This time it was Mia who had to dodge as Harry attempted to give her a rough push, and laughing as he glared at her.

"We won't practice with the Snitch yet," said Wood once the two of them settled down, carefully shutting it back inside the crate. "It's too dark, we might lose it. Let's try you out with a few of these."

He pulled a bag of ordinary golf balls out of his pocket and a few minutes later, he and Harry were up in the air while Mia stayed on the ground. She watched as Wood threw the golf balls as hard as he could in every direction for Harry to catch. Harry zoomed around on his Nimbus, catching every single ball and grinning as Mia cheered for him down below. They all stayed out for a little while until it eventually got too dark for them to see anything, and so they gathered their things and set off back to the castle.

"That Quidditch Cup will have our name on it this year," said Wood happily. "I wouldn't be surprised if you turn out better than Charlie Weasley, and he could have played for England if he hadn't gone off chasing dragons."

…

Halloween morning dawned bright and early, and Mia awoke to the delicious smell of baking pumpkin that somehow drifted up into the tower. Deciding to go along with the holiday theme, Mia wore a bright orange headband and little pumpkin earring her mother had sent her the day before. After throwing on her robes, she ran over to Hermione's bed and pounced on the still sleeping witch.

"Wake up Hermione!" Mia sang. "Happy Halloween!"

"Go away Mia!" Hermione mumbled, pulling her covers up over her head. "Why are you up so early?"

"Because it's Halloween!" said Mia, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Come on, get out of bed! The sooner you get up, the sooner classes will go by, and the sooner the classes go by, the sooner it will be until the feast! Now get up!"

"Breakfast isn't for another hour!"

"Hermioneeeeeeeeeeeeee!" whined Mia, bouncing on the bed.

"Hermione, please get up so she'll stop!" groaned Pavarti from her own bed.

"Hermione, Hermione, Hermione, Hermione-"

"Mia, shut it!" said Lavender.

"_Hermione!" _

"Oh for God's sake! I'm up!" Hermione snapped, throwing her covers off and giving Mia the fiercest glare she could muster. All this did was cause Mia to squeal with glee and jump off the bed.

"Good, now I'll meet you downstairs in twenty minutes," Mia said brightly.

"It won't take me that long to get ready," Hermione grumbled as she shuffled out of bed.

"But it'll take me that long to get the boys up," said Mia with a playful grin. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have one spectacled and one redheaded git to annoy."

Like Hermione, Harry and Ron were not thrilled with the early wake up call, and they all glowered as Mia waited patiently for them in the common room with a brilliant smile on her face. All throughout the day, the excitement for the evening feast kept building up for everyone in the school, and Mia found herself in a perfectly good mood. That mood increased when they got to their Charms class, where Professor Flitwick informed them that they would be learning how to make objects fly. Everyone was put into pairs, and while Mia was paired with Lavender, Harry got together with Seamus Finnigan, and Ron was put together with Hermione. With the way they were glaring at each other, it was hard to tell which one was more angry with the arrangement. It was more difficult than it looked, but after a few tries, Mia finally got it, which earned Professor Flitwick's praise and ten points to Gryffindor. While Mia helped Lavender with the proper wand movement, Seamus had accidently set fire to his feather, and Harry had to put it out with his hat. Ron wasn't having much luck with his feather either, and was starting to get very frustrated.

"_Wingardium Leviosa!_" he shouted, waving his long arms like a windmill.

"You're saying it wrong," Hermione snapped at him. "It's Wing-gar-dium Levi-o-sa, make the 'gar' nice and long."

"You do it, then, if you're so clever," Ron snarled impatiently.

Hermione glared at Ron, then she rolled up the sleeves of her gown, flicked her wand, and said, "_Wingardium Leviosa!_"

Their feather suddenly rose off the desk and hovered about four feet in the air, much higher than Mia's feather had gone.

"Oh, well done!" cried Professor Flitwick, clapping. "Everyone see here, Miss Granger's the second one to have done it! Very good me dear, very well done."

Ron glared even more at Hermione, and spent the rest of the class sulking. By the time the class ended, Mia and Hermione were still the only ones to have gotten the spell right. As everyone started packing their things and headed out into the corridor, Mia went over to stand next to Hermione.

"Well done Mione," Mia said with a smile. "I knew you could do it."

Hermione beamed at the new nickname Mia had given her and was about to respond when they heard Ron talking to Harry in front of them.

"It's no wonder no one can stand her," he said. "She's a nightmare, honestly. I don't understand how Mia can put up with her!"

All at once, Hermione's smile instantly vanished and tears started welling up in her eyes and oozing down her cheeks. Mia's heart shattered at the look on her friend's face and in the next second, she clutched her books closer to her chest and hurried off down the corridor. Mia tried calling after her, but Hermione just kept going, disappearing into the crowd of students.

"I think she heard you," said Harry.

"So?" said Ron, but he looked a bit uncomfortable. "She must've noticed she's got no friends."

"How can you say that?!" said Mia loudly as she glared angrily at him. "She has me! Maybe if you actually swallowed you pride you would see that she's a sweet and caring person! How could you be so mean to her when she was just trying to help you? I swear Ron, sometimes you're no better than Malfoy!"

Mia turned on her heel and stormed off down the corridor, leaving Harry and Ron behind. People who had heard their argument quickly moved out of her way, not wanting to be in the infuriated girl's path. Her blood was boiling, and her hands were clenched into fists at her side. She quickly rounded the corner and took off, hoping to find Hermione somewhere in the crowd. She searched for a good ten minutes, but Hermione was nowhere to be found. Thinking she would be in their next class, Mia se off for Transfiguration before she was late.

But Hermione wasn't there either. In fact, Hermione didn't turn up for any of her classes for the rest of the day, and Mia was starting to get extremely worried. She refused to speak to Ron and kept glancing at the door every couple minutes, hoping Hermione would come in late. By the time dinner rolled around, Mia found that she wasn't looking forward to the feast like she was earlier. As soon as she dropped off her things in Gryffindor tower, instead of going down to the Great Hall, she set off on a search to find her friend. Hermione was more important than food any day.

Mia searched high and low for Hermione on almost every floor, checking every classroom and peeking into every broom cupboard. She had gone through four floors before she came to a girl's bathroom on the second floor corridor. When she looked inside, it appeared to be empty, but just as she was about to leave, she heard something that made her stop-a soft sniffling sound. Mia walked into the bathroom and saw that one of the stall doors was shut, and she could see someone's feet on the ground. Mia moved closer and the sniffles continued and she stopped when she was right outside the door.

"Hermione?" she said. She heard more sniffles from the other side of the door.

"M-Mia?"

"Hermione," Mia said softly. "Please come out."

"P-please Mia, j-just go."

"I'm not going anywhere," said Mia. "If you're not going to come out, at least let me in."

There was silence for a moment, and then Mia heard the click of the lock being undone. In the next second, the door opened to reveal Hermione with puffy red eyes and tear stains on her cheeks.

"Oh Mione," Mia said softly. She squeezed in the small space with Hermione, who shut the door behind them. Before Mia could even get a word out, Hermione flung herself at her, wrapping her arms around Mia's neck and sobbing hard. Mia held her friend close and let her cry into her shoulder, rubbing her back soothingly. She wasn't exactly sure how long they stood there like that, but Mia didn't care. Hermione needed her right now, and she would give her all the time she would need. After a long while, Hermione's sobs finally subsided and she hiccupped softly. Pulling away from Mia, Hermione wiped her eyes.

"Are you okay?" asked Mia.

"I-I think so," said Hermione. "Mia, what's wrong with me?"

"There's nothing wrong with you Hermione," said Mia. "Ron was just being an absolute prat. Don't listen to what he says. You are not a nightmare, you're so caring and smarter than everyone in our year put together. I mean what I said before Hermione, you're my best girl friend ever. And if no one else can see how special you are, then it's their loss."

Hermione gave a weak smile at Mia's words, still rubbing at her eyes and hiccupping. Mia smiled back at her and pulled a handkerchief from her pocket.

"Come on, no stupid boy is worth crying over," said Mia as she handed the handkerchief to Hermione. "Let's go down and enjoy the feast okay? I don't want to feel guilty for dragging you out of bed for nothing."

Hermione let out a quiet giggle, and Mia felt happy that she got Hermione to laugh again. After about another minute in which Hermione collected herself, the girls stepped out of the bathroom stall, but before they could leave, a foul smell made them stop in their tracks. Mia took a whiff and nearly gagged as a revolting scent shot up her nostrils. She covered her nose and mouth with her hand, looking around for the source of that terrible stench. At that moment, there was a loud bang from behind them and the girls whipped around. Mia heard Hermione gasp loudly, and she felt her heart stop and the blood draining from her face.

They were staring up into the eyes of a huge, monstrous mountain troll. It stared down at them with its beady little eyes, cocking it's tiny head to one side. It's skin was a sickly grey and very lumpy, like the surface of a boulder. Short, stubby legs were somehow holding up the troll's gigantic body, it's arms dragging behind it, a humongous club clutched in one of its hands. Mia and Hermione stood staring at it for a grand total of ten seconds before the both of them opened their mouths and screamed shrilly. The troll gave a loud grunt and then started walking towards them, waving it's arms around and smashing the sinks off the walls. Mia quickly grabbed Hermione's arm and pulled her backwards, trying to get out of the way of the charging troll. Then their backs suddenly hit the wall, and Mia saw that they had nowhere to go. Fear gripped her in an iron fist and her body felt numb as the troll advanced on them. Despite this, Mia moved in front of Hermione protectively, hoping the troll would go for just her so Hermione could run for it. Just then, they heard the sound of the bathroom door crashing open and a familiar voice shouting.

"Mia!"

Mia jerked her head over to see Harry and Ron running into the bathroom, both looking pale and terrified.

"Confuse it!" Harry said desperately to Ron before he quickly bent down to pick up a tap. With one good swing, threw it against the wall with all the strength he had. The loud noise caused the troll to stop dead in its tracks, looking around. Once it caught sight of Harry, it changed directions and started going for him instead.

"Harry, move!" Mia screamed in panic.

"Oi, pea-brain!" yelled Ron. He picked up a metal pipe and the it at the troll, smacking it against its shoulder with a loud clang. The troll didn't seem fathomed by the pipe, but Ron's yell distracted it enough for Harry to run around it and over to Mia and Hermione.

"Come on, run, run!" he said to them, taking both of their arms and trying to pull them towards the door. Mia was only too happy to get away from the troll, but Hermione was frozen where she stood, her face filled with absolute horror.

"Hermione, come on! We have to move now!" Mia said, shaking her friend's shoulder.

The troll didn't like all the noise that was going on, so it made up its mind and went after Ron, who was trapped and had no way out. Harry went running over to the troll and, rather bravely and foolishly, jumped onto its back, latching his arms around its neck. Also, when Harry jumped, his wand had been in his hand and when he landed on the troll, it had gone straight up its nose. The troll howled in pain and began thrashing around with its club, with Harry hanging on for dear life.

"Harry, hold on!" Mia yelled, grabbing her wand from her robes and running forward.

"Mia, no!" said Harry. As the troll swung it's club near the ground, Mia immediately hopped on its arm, clinging to it tightly. The troll didn't seem to be fond of so many people being attached to it, so it let out a loud grunt and grabbed Mia by her leg. She gave a scream of terror as the troll pulled her off of it and hung her upside down in the air.

"Do something!" Harry shouted to Ron, though his eyes were fixed on Mia as the troll took a swing at her. Mia lifted herself up to miss the blow.

"What?" said Ron, sounding helpless.

"Anything!" Mia yelled. "Just hurry!"

Ron made a second's decision, pulling out his own wand and giving it a good swish and flick.

"_Wingardium Leviosa!"_ he shouted. Before the club could come crashing down on Mia, it flew out of the Troll's hand, rising higher and higher into the air. Then, just like that, it came straight on down and fell onto its owner's head with a sharp crack. The troll swayed on the spot, and it immediately let go of Mia, sending her crashing to the floor. Hermione, coming out of her shocked phase, quickly rushed forward and dragged Mia out of the way as the troll continued to sway, eventually falling flat on it's ugly face. There was a moment of silence as Harry climbed off it's back. Mia slowly got to her feet, her body shaking and her heart pumping. Harry went around the troll and gathered Mia in a fierce hug.

"Are you okay?" he asked her.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she whispered.

"Hermione?"

"I'm all right," Hermione replied, still staring at the troll. ""Is it — dead?"

"I don't think so," said Harry as he released Mia. "I think it's just been knocked out."

He moved over to the troll, bent down and pulled his wand out of the troll's nose. It was covered in what looked like lumpy grey glue. Mia made a face of disgust as Harry wiped his wand off on the troll's trousers. Before another word could be said, the door to the bathroom once again burst open and Professors McGonagall, Quirrell, and Snape came charging in. In the rush of the moment, Mia didn't realize how much noise they had been making. Quirrell took one look at the troll and gasped, clutching his heart as he sat down on the closest toilet. Professor McGonagall was looking over at Harry and Ron, the outmost fury on her face.

"What on earth were you thinking of?" she seethed at them. "You're lucky you weren't killed. Why aren't you in your dormitory?"

Before Mia could say anything gin their defense, Hermione spoke up.

"Please, Professor McGonagall — they were looking for me."

"Miss Granger!"

"I went looking for the troll because I — I thought I could deal with it on my own — you know, because I've read all about them."

Mia looked at Hermione, completely aghast. Was this really her Hermione, telling a lie to a teacher? For two boys she couldn't even stand?

"If they hadn't found me, I'd be dead now. Mia followed me because she was trying to stop me-"

"Mione-"

"-but I wouldn't listen to her," Hermione continued. "Harry stuck his wand up its nose while made noise to distract it, and Ron knocked it out with its own club. They didn't have time to come and fetch anyone. It was about to finish us off when they arrived."

"Well — in that case…" said Professor McGonagall, staring at the four of them. "Miss Granger, you foolish girl, how could you think of tackling a mountain troll on your own?"

Hermione hung her head. Mia couldn't believe what she was seeing. Hermione would rather serve detention than break any rules, yet she pretended she had to get her, Harry and Ron out of trouble. While she admired her friend for sticking up for them, she couldn't help but feel sad that Hermione was taking all the blame.

"Miss Granger, five points will be taken from Gryffindor for this," said Professor McGonagall. "I'm very disappointed in you. If you're not hurt at all, you'd better get off to Gryffindor tower. Students are finishing the feast in their houses."

Mia watched sadly as Hermione left the chamber, still staring at the floor. When she left, Professor McGonagall turned her attention to her, Harry and Ron.

"Well, I still say you were lucky, but not many first years could have taken on a full-grown mountain troll. Miss Thatcher, I appreciate you trying to talk some sense into Miss Granger. You each win Gryffindor five points. Professor Dumbledore will be informed of this. You may go."

Mia and the boys quickly hurried out of the chamber and didn't speak at all until they had climbed two floors up. Mia was still reeling over everything that has just happened.

"We should have gotten more than fifteen points," Ron grumbled.

"Ten, you mean, once she's taken off Hermione's," said Harry.

"Good of her to get us out of trouble like that," Ron admitted. "Mind you, we did save her."

"Her and Mia might not have needed saving if we hadn't locked the thing in with them," Harry reminded him.

"You two _what?!"_ said Mia as she rounded on them.

"We didn't know!" Ron quickly defended. "We thought that chamber was empty-"

"This never would have happened if you hadn't insulted her!" Mia said. Ron looked pretty guilty and he shrugged his shoulders half-heartedly.

"What are friends for?" he said. "You think she'll forgive me?"

Mia huffed at him and turned away, crossing her arms over her chest. Ron sighed and moved so he was walking next to her. He put his arm around her shoulders and attempted to smile at her. Mia tried to keep her face firm and angry, but she knew it was a hopeless case.

"You're a good right prat Ronald Weasley," she said, her arms falling loosely at her sides. Ron gave a full smile at this and they once again fell into silence as they made their back up to the common room. When they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, they gave her the password and hurried inside. The rest of Gryffindor were all lounging around in the armchairs, eating and drinking. As they came through, they saw Hermione standing by the entrance, waiting for them. There was an extremely awkward and embarrassing silence that fell between them. No one really knew what to say. Then, without looking at each other, they all said a quick "Thanks," and went to get plates.

**Rate and Review please!**


	12. The Gryffindor Seeker

**Hi everyone! Well, here's chapter twelve. I can't believe I'm just nearly done the first book, I'm soooooo excited! Just to give you a heads up, there will be a couple twists in this chapter, and if you have any questions about it, please let me know! You know the drill, please review and tell me what you think, and any ideas or suggestions are welcomed. **

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately I do not own the world of Harry Potter. That's all the beautiful and genius work of J. K. Rowling. **

**Enjoy!**

Chapter Twelve: The Gryffindor Seeker

HPOV

Harry saw that Mia's mood had brightened considerably for the past few days. After the incident with the mountain troll, there was a silent agreement to watch each other's back, and a golden friendship was formed between him, Mia, Ron, and Hermione. After Halloween, the four of them started to spend all of their time together, in classes and out. Mia was over the moon that Ron and Hermione were now getting along, and the happiness she felt caused a spring in her step every now and then when they walked through the halls. Harry was pleased as well, and he was happy that the four of them became such good friends. It made him feel like he belonged.

The cool days of October slowly drifted away to welcome the bitter cold winds of November. The trees were nearly stripped bare of all their leaves, and every morning the lawns of the grounds were covered with a thin layer of frost. It was starting to get pretty cold in the corridors out by the courtyards as well, and Harry had gotten into the habit of taking his winter cloak with him almost everywhere he goes, using it to keep away the cold. Whenever they were in the common room, they would usually take seats by the fireplace, and Mia would make herself comfortable on either his or Ron's laps despite their protests and Hermione's amused laughter. She and Hermione were now both homework resources for the boys, as they were always checking over their work and helping them whenever they could. Harry especially needed all the help he could get, not because he wasn't smart, but because of all the last minute Quidditch practices Wood was having the team do. Mia appointed herself Harry's personal tutor a couple days a week when he would get back from a late practice, but all in all, Harry was doing very well on his own. Thanks to the reviews he did with Mia, he learned all of the material fairly fast, and never received any poor grades in his work (with the exception of Potions, for obvious reasons).

The Quidditch season was in full swing, and Wood was driving his team hard, determined to have them prepared for their first match against Slytherin that was coming up that weekend. Hermione had let Harry borrow her _Quidditch Through the Ages _book, and he found it to be a very interesting and helpful read. It also helped him take his mind off the upcoming match, because despite Wood's desire to have Harry kept as a secret, it was somehow leaked that he was the new Gryffindor Seeker and now everyone was wishing him luck or saying that they would be there to catch him if he fell off his broom. The whole thing was very irritating, as it only increased the pressure he felt pushing on his shoulders. Sometimes Wood would let Mia, Ron and Hermione come to the practices to watch him. Or really, Mia pulled her best puppy-dog face at him and he eventually relented, saying that they had better not be telling anyone else about their strategies and techniques. Harry felt better knowing his friends were there to support him, and it cheered him up a great deal. Fred and George would occasionally mess around and preform tricks on their brooms for the entertainment of their audience, much to Wood's annoyance.

The day before the match, Harry woke up to another cold day in his dorm, mumbling sleepily as he reached for his glasses on the table. Once he was more awake, he realized there was a light, furry weight on his stomach. Looking down, he saw a small fluff ball curled up on his stomach, moving up and down as he breathed, opening its sleepy blue eyes.

"Hey Sapphire," Harry greeted, reaching out to pet the kitten. He was used to Sapphire somehow sneaking into the dorm room and laying with Harry in bed. At first he was worried that she would go after Scabbers, but the kitten has shown no interest in harming the rat, and least not too much. Whenever she wasn't looking for Scabbers, she would sleep on Harry's bed and glare intently at the rat when she did see him. Her odd behavior towards Ron's pet confused him at times, but he figured it was probably nothing. All cats chased mice and rats. After he and Ron had woken up and gotten dressed, they met up with the girls in the common room and then went down to the Great Hall for some breakfast. They went through all their classes throughout the day, and when it came time for their break, they decided to hang out in the courtyard for a while. Harry was glad that Hermione had become a bit more relaxed about breaking rules. While they were standing outside in the cold, she had conjured a tiny ball of fire that could be carried around in a jar. The four of them stood with their backs to it, savoring its warmth. Just then, Harry caught sight of Snape walking across the yard. He noticed that the Potions Professor was limping as he walked. He and the others crowded closer around the fire, because they were sure it wasn't allowed. However, their effort failed as Snape looked over at them and started limping towards them, but when he reached them, he didn't seem to notice the fire.

"What's that you've got there, Potter?" he said. Harry was holding _Quidditch Through the Ages _in his and showed it to Snape.

"Library books are not to be taken outside the school," said Snape. "Give it to me. Five points from Gryffindor."

Harry saw Mia make a face, and Ron quickly nudged her so she wouldn't say anything. He reluctantly handed Snape the book and scowled as he walked away.

"He's just made that rule up," Harry muttered angrily. "Wonder what's wrong with his leg?"

"Dunno, but I hope it's really hurting him," said Ron bitterly.

"You and me both," Mia grumbled. "Come on, we should get to our next class before he tries to get us for something else."

Hermione gathered the jar in her hands and extinguished the fire before they left the courtyard to head off towards their Defense Against the Dark Arts class. Ron seemed pretty reluctant about this.

"We never learn anything useful in this class anyway," he grumbled as they walked up a set of stairs. ""He's scared of everything he teaches us and we have hardly done any practical spells!"

"Ron, we're still first years we're not going to be doing anything major until later years," said Hermione. "And Professor Quirrell isn't so bad."

"You're only saying that because you got full marks on his last assignment!"

"That's because I actually did it right and on time!"

Harry rolled his eyes at the two of them. Although they were friends now, that didn't stop them from the occasional bicker every now and then. While Ron and Hermione continued on with their bickering, Harry felt Mia come up next to him. He looked over and saw her smiling fondly at Ron and Hermione, giggling softly.

"What's so funny?" he said.

"What _isn't _funny?" Mia answered, turning to look at him. "It's amusing to see them go at each other sometimes. I wouldn't be surprised if they ended up married someday."

"Married?" said Harry with a snort. "Yeah right, the day those two get married will be the day Wood says Quidditch is just a game."

"I think they will," said Mia. "They may not realize it now, but they do like each other. They're complete opposites, but that's what makes it work. I bet you anything they will end up dating and then get married in the future."

"I think the smell of Quirrell's garlic has finally gotten to you," said Harry with a smirk. "There's no way it'll happen."

"Wanna bet?" Mia asked with a smirk of her own. Harry's smirk turned into a grin.

"What are the stakes?" he said.

"I bet that they will kiss and start dating by the end of our seventh school year, and get married by the time we're twenty-three," said Mia, sounding like a professional business woman. "If I'm right, you give me five galleons, jump in the black lake during winter, and buy me a bar of Honeyduke's best chocolate."

"What's Honeyduke's?" asked Harry.

"It's a sweetshop in the village outside the school," said Mia. "Fred and George told me about it, but only third years and up can go visit."

"Okay," said Harry.

"And what do you want if you're right?" asked Mia.

"Not sure yet," replied Harry with a shrug and a wicked grin. "I'll have to get back to you in six years."

"Harry!" whined Mia, making him laugh.

"I'm honestly not sure," he chuckled. "How about for now, if I'm right you give me anything I want?"

"Deal," agreed Mia with a nod of her head. She held out her hand to Harry and they shook on it, each one confident that they would win, and then they hurried to catch up to Ron and Hermione, who were still so absorbed in their argument that they hadn't heard or noticed a single thing.

…

The common room was noisy and full of energy that night. Everyone was excited about the game tomorrow, and Fred and George were spreading some pre-game cheer by setting off some miniature fireworks that were zooming around in a shower of red and gold sparks. Wood was up in his room going over the team's tactics for the hundredth time, and Kate, Alicia, and Angelina were laughing as they watched the fireworks. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Mia were working on their homework in a corner table so as not to be distracted. Hermione and Mia were checking over the boys work, trying not to give them the right answers as they went over what they got wrong. Harry found himself extremely restless. He wanted _Quidditch through the Ages _back so he wouldn't be so nervous about the match tomorrow. Why should he be afraid of Snape? Having his mind made up, he stood up from his seat and told the others he was going to ask Snape if he could have it.

"Better you than me," Ron and Hermione said together, while Mia put on a face of sadness and grief.

"Oh Harry, I will never forget you," she said, pretending to wipe her eyes while chocking back a sob. "So brave of you to walk into the Dungeon Bat's lair! I promise if you don't survive we will tell your noble story to all!"

Ron burst out laughing at this while Hermione bit her lips to hold back her own laughter. Harry rolled his eyes.

"Thanks Mia, I really appreciate it," he said.

"You're welcome!" she said brightly, winking at him. This caused Ron to laugh even harder, earning a smack to the head by Hermione. Harry left the common room and made his way downstairs to the teacher's staffroom. When he reached it, he knocked on the door, but no one answered. He knocked again. Nothing. _Maybe Snape left the book inside. _With this thought in mind, Harry pushed the door ajar and peered inside – and a horrible scene met his eyes.

Snape and Filch were inside, alone, and Snape was holding his robes above his knees. One of his legs was bloody and mangled. He made a face as Filch handed him bandages.

"Blasted thing," Snape said. "How are you supposed to keep your eyes on all three heads at once?"

Not wanting to be seen, Harry tried to shut the door quietly, but —

"POTTER!"

Snape had caught sight of him, and his sallow face was twisted with fury as he dropped his robes quickly to hide his leg.

"I just wondered if I could have my book back," Harry said nervously.

"GET OUT! OUT!" Snape roared.

Not needing to be told twice, Harry quickly closed the door and raced back up to the Gryffindor common room. He gasped out the password to the Fat Lady and rushed inside, going over to Ron, Hermione, and Mia.

"Did you get it?" Ron asked as Harry joined them.

"Harry, what's wrong?" said Mia, catching sight of his face. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"You're not going to believe what I just saw…"

In a low whisper, Harry told them what had happened in the staffroom.

"You know what this means?" he finished breathlessly. "He tried to get past that three-headed dog at Halloween! That's where he was going when we saw him — he's after whatever it's guarding! And I'd bet my broomstick he let that troll in, to make a diversion!"

"No — he wouldn't," Hermione said. "I know he's not very nice, but he wouldn't try and steal something Dumbledore was keeping safe."

"Honestly, Hermione, you think all teachers are saints or something," snapped Ron. "I'm with Harry. I wouldn't put anything past Snape. But what's he after? What's that dog guarding?"

"Who knows?" said Mia. "If Dumbledore needs to put a three-headed dog to guard it, it must be something extremely powerful, or dangerous."

"Maybe even both," said Hermione. "But we really shouldn't worry about it. It's none of our business."

Not much more was said on the subject, as for that moment, Fred and George set off another loud firecracker, and it whizzed over everyone's heads, spelling out the words "GO GRYFFIRNDOR!" in blinding colors. After a while, Harry said that he was going to head up early to try to get a good night's sleep. He gathered all of his things, and after bidding goodnight to his friends, he left to go up the boy's staircase. When he reached his dorm, he flopped his things onto his bed and started to get dressed for bed. Once he was changed, he set up his robes for the next day, placing his Nimbus 2000 next to his bed, making sure everything was ready to go. Just as he was putting all his books away, he heard a knocking on his door. Curious, he walked over and opened the door to see Mia standing there.

"What is it Mia?" he asked her. She smiled at him and held out a book to him.

"_Quidditch Through the Ages?_" Harry said, dumbstruck. "But how-"

"Fred had an old copy he said you can borrow," Mia answered. "It's not in as good condition as the one Snape took, but I figured it would make you feel better."

"Wow. Thanks Mia," Harry said gratefully as he took the book from her.

"You're welcome. Actually Harry, I wanted to ask you something," said Mia, suddenly looking not so sure of herself.

"Is everything okay?" said Harry.

"Yes, everything's fine, it's just…well, I know you said you were going to stay at Hogwarts this Christmas, but, well, I was wondering if you would want to spend it with me and my parents. I wrote to them and asked them if it was all right, and they said they would love to have you, we were actually thinking about spending it up at the cottage my mum's aunt gave to her, it'll be fun, we can go sledding, and it's only a mile from the closest town, I can show you the lake, and we even get to cut down our own tree. I understand if you don't want to, you'd probably want to stay here at the castle, I'm sure it looks amazing at Christmas, I just wanted to tell you we would love to have you with us for the holidays."

Mia has said all of this very fast, and she even took a short breath when she was done. Harry's mind was spinning with everything she just said, trying to digest his words. Mia's parents wanted him to spend Christmas with them? Really? He had never really looked forward to Christmas before; the Dursleys didn't want him ruining their holiday with his presence. He usually had to serve the cookies and treats or just watch as Dudley opened his mound of presents while Harry got nothing. It was never a cheerful time, and while he was looking forward to a good time with Ron and his brothers, the thought of spending the holidays with the Thatchers, the closest thing to a family he has ever had, his insides warmed with happiness, swelling like a balloon. He saw Mia bit her lip and her face grew worried. He suddenly realized he has been quiet for some time with a blank look.

"Um-I guess you don't want to," Mia said in a dejected voice. "That's fine, I just thought-"

"I do!" Harry said instantly, a wide smile coming across his face. "I'd love to come home with you for Christmas."

Mia positively beamed and she threw herself at him, wrapped her arms tight around his waist in a fierce hug.

"Oh Harry, that's wonderful!" she gushed, her eyes shining. "I'm so happy you said yes, Brian's going to be so excited! You're going to love the cottage, it's beautiful, and we can play in the snow and everything! I have to go write my parents and tell them we're both coming home. Good night Harry, get some rest, and I'll see you at the game tomorrow! You're going to be brilliant I just know it!"

With that being said, Mia took off down the staircase and fell out of sight. Harry smiled after her. What would he ever do without Mia Thatcher?

MPOV 

The next morning Mia found herself walking down to the Quidditch Pitch with Ron and Hermione behind her, along with some of their other Gryffindor classmates. Today was the Gryffindor vs. Slytherin match, and everyone was excited. Ron and some of the other guys made a banner that read Potter for President, which Hermione charmed to make it flash different colors. Mia also got into the spirit of the game, wearing bright scarlet and gold ribbons in her hair with a red H painted on one cheek and a P on the other cheek. Even though she didn't like the idea of flying, Mia had to admit she was very excited for the game today. She had seen Harry and the rest of the team practice, and thought they were amazing. She was sure today was going to be great. She was chatting eagerly with Hermione as they walked across the grassy slopes to the pitch, and when they reached it they headed up to the Gryffindor section. Taking their seats, Mia and everyone else waited eagerly for the teams to come out of the locker rooms and onto the field. Even Ranvenclaw and Hufflepuff and come to show their support, all brandishing the colors of their preferred team.

Not too long later, the stadium erupted into a fit of cheers as the Gryffindor and Slytherin teams all came out onto the field. Mia and the rest of Gryffindor cheered loudly, waving the banner high above their heads so Harry could see it. When the teams met each other at the center of the field, Wood and the Slytherin team captain shook hands before everyone mounted their brooms. Madame Hooch was out on the field as referee, and the moment she blew her silver whistle, all fourteen players rose high into the sky as the game began. The crowds yelled voices of encouragement as Angelina Johnson immediately took hold of the Quaffle, heading straight towards the goal posts. Harry rose up high above everyone else and slowly hovered around, keeping his sights out for the Snitch.

"And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor-what an excellent Chaser that girl is, and rather attractive too-"

"JORDAN!"

"Sorry Professor."

Lee Jordan, a third year Gryffindor and the best friend of Fred and George, was doing the commentary for the match, as well as being closely watched by Professor McGonagall.

"And she's really belting along up there, a neat pass to Alicia Spinnet, a good find of Oliver Wood's, last year only a reserve — back to Johnson and — no, the Slytherins have taken the Quaffle, Slytherin Captain Marcus Flint gains the Quaffle and off he goes — Flint flying like an eagle up there — he's going to sc— no, stopped by an excellent move by Gryffindor Keeper Wood and the Gryffindors take the Quaffle — that's Chaser Katie Bell of Gryffindor there, nice dive around Flint, off up the field and — OUCH — that must have hurt, hit in the back of the head by a Bludger — Quaffle taken by the Slytherins — that's Adrian Pucey speeding off toward the goal posts, but he's blocked by a second Bludger — sent his way by Fred or George Weasley, can't tell which- nice play by the Gryffindor Beater, anyway, and Johnson back in possession of the Quaffle, a clear field ahead and off she goes — she's really flying — dodges a speeding Bludger — the goal posts are ahead — come on, now, Angelina — Keeper Bletchley dives — misses — GRYFFINDORS SCORE!"

"Wohooo!" yelled Mia as she clapped loudly. "Go Angelina!"

The Gryffindor section of the stadium was all cheering for their first score, and the twins, along with Harry, did a couple neat loop-the-loops on their brooms to let off their feelings. The game had only just started and Mia was already itching with anticipation, sitting on the edge of her seat and watching the players like a hawk. While she was watching the game, a loud, booming voice sounded from right behind her.

"Budge up there, move along."

"Hagrid!" Hermione cried happily as she and Ron both squished themselves together to give him room to sit next to them.

"Bin watchin' from me hut," said Hagrid, patting a large pair of binoculars around his neck, "But it isn't the same as bein' in the crowd. No sign of the Snitch yet, eh?"

"Nope," said Ron. "Harry hasn't had much to do yet."

"Kept outta trouble, though, that's somethin'," said Hagrid, raising his binoculars and peering skyward at the speck that was Harry.

"Yeah, the last thing we need is for Harry to get clobbered before he can find the Snitch," said Mia, following Hagrid's gaze so she could keep an eye on her best friend up in the air.

"Don't worry, Fred and George will stop anything that goes his way," Ron assured them. "They're the best Beaters ever."

"I'm sure they'd love to hear that from you Ron," Mia said with a kind smile, making Ron's ears go a little red.

"Slytherin in possession," Lee Jordan was saying, "Chaser Pucey ducks two Bludgers, two Weasleys, and Chaser Bell, and speeds toward the — wait a moment — was that the Snitch?"

Mia's senses immediately went into high alert and she snapped her attention back to Harry, who seemed to have caught sight of the Snitch, for he suddenly went into a spectacular dive on his broom.

"Come on Harry!" Mia screamed, jumping up from her seat. Harry and the Slytherin Seeker were both diving after the tiny golden ball, nearly neck and neck as they sped after it. Harry was faster than the other Seeker, and he was starting to gain on the Snitch-

WHAM! There was a roar of rage from the Gryffindors — Marcus Flint, the Slytherin captain, had come out of nowhere and deliberately got into Harry's path, blocking him and nearly causing him them to collide. Harry quickly moved out of the way just in time, hanging onto his broom.

"Foul!" screamed everyone in Mia's year furiously. Madam Hooch flew over and gave Flint a good earful. Then she ordered a free shot at the goal posts for Gryffindor. Thanks to Flint, Harry had lost sight of the Snitch, but Gryffindor had scored the foul goal, earning them another ten points. Despite this, the Gryffindors were still raging.

"Send him off ref!" Dean was yelling, "Red card!"

"What are you talking about, Dean?" said Ron.

"Red card!" said Dean furiously. "In football you get shown the red card and you're out of the game!"

"But this isn't soccer Dean," Ron reminded him.

"They oughta change the rules," said Hagrid, his eyes narrowed. "Flint coulda knocked Harry outta the air."

"Stupid cheating gits," Mia mumbled. "So much for playing fair."

"Come on Mia, it's Gryffindor vs. Slytherin, what do you expect?" said Seamus. "It's bound to get dirty."

"I just hope no one gets seriously hurt," said Mia. In the commentator's box, Lee Jordan was finding it extremely difficult not to take sides.

"So — after that obvious and disgusting bit of cheating —"

"Jordan!" growled Professor McGonagall.

"I mean, after that open and revolting foul…"

_"Jordan, I'm warning you—" _

Despite the situation, Mia couldn't help but laugh at Professor McGonagall's murderous glare and Lee's amused grin as he continued on with the commentary. Mia and the others kept on cheering for their team, waving the banner wildly over their heads and calling out the names of all the players. Angelina passed the Quaffle to Katie and Mia watched as she dodged Slytherins left and right, shooting her way to the goal posts. Mia smiled as Katie shot another score for Gryffindor and she yelled along with everyone else, adrenaline running through her. After a few more minutes, Mia turned her attention to Harry, and at that moment, she saw his broom give a sudden violent jerk forward and Harry had to cling on for dear life.

"What in the world…"

"What is it Mia?" asked Hermione.

"I think there's something wrong with Harry's broomstick," said Mia.

"What?"

"Up there, look!"

It happened again. The Nimbus gave another lurch forward, as if it were trying to buck Harry off of it. Sara gasped as the broom started making even more violent movements all around the field, and Harry didn't look like he was in control at all.

"Dunno what Harry thinks he's doin'," said Hagrid, who was also looking up at him. "If I didn' know any better, I'd say he'd lost control of his broom…but he can't have…"

The Nimbus continued on throwing Harry around and everyone finally seemed to realize what was going on. They were all staring and pointing up at him, and Mia was following his movements. Then, to her absolute horror, Harry's broom gave another lurch forward and sent Harry swinging off, dangling from it by one hand.

"Harry!" she cried frantically. "Someone has to do something, he's going to fall!"

"Did something happen to it when Flint blocked him?" said Seamus.

"Can't have," said Hagrid. "Can't nothing interfere with a broomstick except powerful Dark Magic-no kid could do that to a Nimbus Two Thousand."

At these words, Hermione's eyes went wide and she seized Hagrid's binoculars, but instead of looking up at Harry, she started looking frantically at the crowd.

"What are you doing?" moaned Ron, grey-faced.

"I knew it," Hermione gasped, "Snape — look."

"What?!" said Mia sharply as she grabbed the binoculars. Peering through them, she saw that Snape was in the middle of the stands opposite them. He had his eyes fixed on Harry and was muttering nonstop under his breath.

"He's doing something — jinxing the broom," said Hermione.

"He's going to kill him!" Mia shrieked in a whisper. "What should we do?"

"Leave it to me," Hermione answered. Before Ron or Mia could say another word, Hermione had disappeared from their sight. Mia returned her gaze to Harry, who was still dangling from the broom. Fred and George tried to pull him onto one of theirs, but every time they got near him, the Nimbus would jump even higher, taking Harry even further away from the ground. Seeing that it was way too risky to try to reach him, Fred and George flew downward and began circling underneath him, in case he did fall. Mia was gripping the binoculars so tight her knuckles were starting to go white. She could feel her heart pounding in fear and she kept her eyes glued on Harry.

"Come on Hermione," she heard Ron mutter desperately. Mia found herself thinking the same thing. _Please Hermione, whatever you're going to do, do it quick! _A couple more agonizing minutes crawled by as Harry continued to be thrown around by his broom, and everyone was waiting with baited breath to see what would happen. Then, just like that, the Nimbus stopped moving around and went completely still. Mia let out the breath she had been holding in as Harry carefully swung his leg over his broom and climbed back on. The crowd cheered and Mia let out a shaky laugh, a weak smile on her face now that she knew he was all right. She made a mental note to squeeze the life out of Hermione when she saw her.

"Neville, you can look!" Ron said. Neville had been sobbing into Hagrid's jacket for the last five minutes. When he looked back up, Harry went into a spectacular dive towards the ground. Harry kept on speeding down and all of a sudden, he clamped his hand over his mouth as if he were about to be sick, and then he landed hard on the ground on all fours. Worry overtook Mia as she looked down at him, and then, to her surprise, Harry coughed and something gold fell into his hand. Mia's jaw dropped in amazement-he caught it!

"He did it!" she screamed. "He caught it!"

Despite all the confusion, Gryffindors left and right were cheering loudly, screaming themselves hoarse. Gryffindor had won by one hundred and seventy points to sixty! Harry waved the fluttering gold ball high above his head, his expression one of the outmost excitement. Mia wrapped her arms around Ron tightly in, bouncing up and down in her seat while he went red from embarrassment. While the rest of the team all dropped down towards the field. Sara and Ron started to disband from the others to meet up with Harry down below. When they reached ground level, they saw Hermione running up to them.

"We did it Mione!" said Mia. "Harry caught the Snitch!"

"What did you do about Snape?" asked Ron.

"Well-um, I might have set his robes on fire," said Hermione sheepishly.

"You what?" said Ron, a mix of shock and amusement on his face.

"Hermione you're brilliant!" said Mia as she hugged her tightly. "You saved Harry! Another minute and I don't think he would've been able to hold on."

Hermione blushed a little at this and Ron smiled.

"Come on," he said. "Let's go find Harry."

About a half hour later, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Mia were all drinking a cup of warm tea in Hagrid's hut while Ron explained what had happened during the game.

"It was Snape," he said. "Hermione, Mia and I saw him. He was cursing your broomstick, muttering, he wouldn't take his eyes off you."

"Rubbish," said Hagrid. "Why would Snape do somethin' like that?"

"Because he's a lousy, arrogant, slimy little-"

The rest of Mia's rant was cut off by Hermione placing her hand over her mouth, giving her an exasperated look. While she did this, Harry and Ron exchanged a look with each other.

"We found out something about him," Harry said finally. "He tried to get past that three-headed dog on Halloween. It bit him. We think he was trying to steal whatever it's guarding."

Hermione and Mia jumped a little as the teapot slipped from Hagrid's fingers ad fell to the floor. He stared at them all with wide eyes.

"How do you know about Fluffy?" he said.

"_Fluffy?_" said Mia.

"Yeah — he's mine — bought him off a Greek chappie I met in the pub las' year — I lent him to Dumbledore to guard the —"

"Yes?" said Harry.

"Now, don't ask me anymore," said Hagrid gruffly. "That's top secret, that is."

"But Snape's trying to _steal_ it," Harry pressed.

"Rubbish," said Hagrid again. "Snape's a Hogwarts teacher, he'd do nothin' of the sort."

"So then why did he just try to kill Harry?" said Hermione. "I know a jinx when I see one Hagrid, I've read all about them! You've got to keep eye contact and Snape wasn't blinking at all, I saw him!"

"She's right Hagrid," Mia interjected. "Snape never took his eyes off of Harry and the minute Hermione distracted him Harry was able to get back on his broom."

"I'm tellin' yeh, yer wrong!" said Hagrid. "I don' know why Harry's broom acted like that, but Snape wouldn' try an' kill a student! Now, listen to me, all four of yeh — yer meddlin' in things that don' concern yeh. It's dangerous. You forget that dog, an' you forget what it's guardin', that's between Professor Dumbledore an' Nicolas Flamel —"

"Aha!" said Harry triumphantly. "So there's someone called Nicolas Flamel involved, is there?"

Hagrid looked positively furious with himself. He didn't say another word on the subject and none of the others pressed him for any more answers. They all continued on talking about the match for a little while longer until it was time to head back on up to the castle. They thanked Hagrid for the tea and trudged their way up the front lawns. They made their way up to the Gryffindor common room were most of their housemates were celebrating a grand victory against Slytherin. Fred and George had somehow snuck up a bunch of food from the kitchens and were distributing that and many drinks around for everyone to have. Harry, Ron, and Mia each took some Pumpkin Juice and settled down at a table by the window. They spent a long time talking and discussing over one thing that was now on their minds: Who was Nicolas Flamel?

**Rate and review please!**


	13. Author's Note

**Dear Readers,**

**First off, I am sorry if I confused you for the mix-up of names in the last chapter. Recently I've been going over my other story, Clara Lily Potter, many times, and since the main character's name in this story is Sara Kanebridge, it was an honest mix-up of names, and I apologize for that.**

**Second, I know there have been some concerns and critics about me copying and pasting things from other people's stories to make up certain parts of mine, for instance the Quidditch game and the night Harry and the others ran into Fluffy. Let me be the one to say yes, I have been taking things from other stories, but I **_**never**_** took anything from anyone else's stories except **_**mine.**_**Those specific scenes were influenced by Clara Lily Potter, and I only took them because there are not too many ways you can retell a story when you already know it is going to happen, and I didn't want to directly quote everything from the Harry Potter books, because one, I'm sure that might be illegal, two, after I was done publishing this first story in the series, I was considering removing Clara Lily Potter from this site or giving it to someone if they want it, and three, I didn't want to bore my readers to tears by copying the book word for word. For those of you who are reading Clara Lily Potter, I apologize, but if I continue on with it, it will be way too similar to You Were Always There, and I don't want that. Like I said before, there are not too many ways you can tell the same story, and even Mia and Sara are sharing some similar lifestyles and characteristics. I don't want to sound like a broken record, so if I need to get rid of one of them, I'd rather it be Clara Lily Potter.**

**Again, I apologize for the mix-up, and if it's not allowed to copy stuff from your own stories, can someone ****please**** let me know? Because I have no idea, and if it's not allowed, I will gladly change things so I can keep this story up. To those of you who were displeased with this (you know who you are) I'm sorry, but if you have any serious concerns like this in the future, please just send me a message and tell me about them, because I'd rather not feel like an idiot and be accused of taking things from someone's else's stories. **

**I will post the next chapter when I can.**

**Sincerely,**

**Openbooklina **


	14. Our Greatest Desires

**Hello! I know, this is the fastest I've updated in quite some time, but I'm really motivated to finish off this story before summer comes around. I was going to add the Christmas vacation in this chapter, but that would have made it way too long, so it'll be there in the next one. **

**This chapter is a little sad and emotional, just to give you a heads up. It also has the Mirror of Erised because I made a slight change. If anyone can guess Hermione and Mia's greatest desire, they will win an imaginary basket of candy! :) **** I think it's kind of obvious, but who knows? Questions, comments, ideas are welcome! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately, all things Harry Potter are not mine. *sniff* **

Chapter Thirteen: Our Greatest Desires

MPOV

It has been a few weeks since the Quidditch match, and winter has quickly settled over the school grounds. Ever since Hagrid had let slip about Nicolas Flamel, Mia, Harry, Ron and Hermione have been trying to figure out who he is. Every time they had a spare second, they would spend it in the library, searching through the hundreds of rows of books, turning every page and scanning every paragraph. It was no easy task, especially since they had no idea what Flamel might have done to get himself into a book. Nearly every day, the four friends could be seen in the library at some point, hidden behind mounds and towers of books, flipping through and searching for any small mention of Nicolas Flamel. It didn't make it any better that they were doing it with the librarian, Madame Pince, breathing down their necks, wondering what they were up to. They knew it would be easier to ask her for help, but they couldn't risk Snape finding out what they were up to. In order to find out what Fluffy was guarding, they needed to know who Flamel was.

In the meantime, the Christmas holidays were quickly approaching. Hogwarts has already experienced its first snowfall early into the month. The entire school awoke one morning to find the grounds and the castle covered in an endless blanket of glittering white powder. The sun sparkled off of the surface and the ice dangling from the tree branches like beautiful crystals, and the snowflakes looked like fluttering white flowers dancing on the wind. Winter was always Mia's favorite season, and the sight outside the classroom windows were proof of it. Whenever they were not in class or searching for Flamel, she could be found wandering around outside, gazing at the falling snow as if it was the most wonderful thing she has ever seen. Once in a while her, Ron and Harry would get into fierce snowball fights, or make snow angels with Hermione and Jenna. Most days she would come inside with her cheeks flushed and snowflakes sticking to her curls.

The rest of the school was looking forward to heading home for the break. Mia's parents had written back to her, and were thrilled that Harry had decided to come spend the holidays with them. She was beyond excited, she knew Harry never really looked forward to Christmas, but she was sure to make this the best Christmas he's ever had. Her father was taking them out to the cottage in the country for the entire break, and then bringing them back home the day before Harry and Mia were meant to go back to school. Mia had ordered Harry's gifts from one of the Quidditch catalogs George Weasley had, and she really hoped he liked them. It was a new pair of Quidditch gloves made from a top brand of Dragon skin that came along with a book of all the national Quidditch teams. For Hermione, Mia ordered a golden tipped eagle feather quill that changed colors from a different catalog, along with a Chudley Cannon's poster and blanket for Ron. It didn't cost too much, but she wouldn't have cared either way. She wanted to get something really nice for her friends, and she hoped they liked their gifts.

Three days before the Christmas holidays, Mia and the others were, once again, sitting in the library digging for information on Flamel before they had to go their separate ways the following day. Mia was looking through _The Greatest Achievements of the Modern World _while everyone else was looking for more books. She sighed in frustration as she slammed it shut, not finding a single thing on Flamel. This is ridiculous, how can he not be in these books? They must have searched high and low throughout the whole library, and they still were no closer to finding out who he is. She internally groaned as she pulled yet another volume towards her as Ron and Hermione came back to the table, both of their arms full.

"Where's Harry?" she asked them.

"Madame Pince caught him wandering near the Restricted Section, so she threw him out," said Ron as he plopped down into his seat. "This is impossible, we must have gone through almost every single book in this place! How are we not finding him?"

"There has to be something we missed," said Hermione as she sat across from him.

"How could we have missed something?" said Ron grumpily. "I'm no as smart as you two, but I think it's getting pretty bad when I can almost cite these books word for word."

Mia laughed quietly to herself as Hermione scowled at him, as if he greatly offended her, and citing books was an honored skill. She shook her head at them as she kept on reading. About ten minutes later, they decided to call it a day and left the library as well, meeting up with Harry outside in the corridor.

"Did you find anything?" he asked. All three of them shook their heads.

"Madame Pince kept glancing over at us," said Mia. "We figured we might as well head out before she starts asking a lot of questions."

"We'll just have to try again when we get back if we don't find anything before we leave. You will keep looking while we're away, won't you?" Hermione said as she turned to Ron. "And owl us if you find anything?"

"I'll see what I can do," Ron replied with a shrug. "Without you guys here, there won't be much to do."

"Don't worry Ron, we'll be back before you know it," Mia said with a smile. "You just have to put up with Fred and George until then."

"Brilliant," Ron groaned, making Mia giggle. The three of them made their way down to the Great Hall for some lunch, and then they had Charms class with the Hufflepuffs. When they walked into the Hall, they caught sight of Malfoy, who smirked as they passed by.

"I really can't wait to go home where my _family _is waiting for me," he said loudly, making sure they heard. Mia bit her tongue and chose to ignore him as they took their seats at the Gryffindor table. Malfoy had been on Harry's case lately, and it annoyed Mia to no end. Furious at Slytherin's defeat in the Quidditch game, he started bragging about going home for the holiday and making fun of the fact that Harry had no proper family to go to, that he had to spend the Christmas break at Hogwarts because his stupid Muggle relatives didn't want him. It was on one of these occasions that Mia, sick of the blonde's ruthless bullying, calmly turned to him and said, "That's really great that you are going home Malfoy, although I cannot imagine why they would ever want to deal with such a pig-headed, bitter prat like you. And for the record, you're wrong. Harry _is _going home to his family."

With that being said, Mia had turned away and continued on her way to class with her friends, not noticing Malfoy's angry and confused expression, or Harry's soft and grateful smile. Malfoy's taunts haven't ceased yet, but it went by unnoticed my most of those around him.

The Great Hall looked absolutely beautiful. Hagrid had brought in twelve towering Christmas trees that were decorated with candles, icicles, golden bubbles, and large glass ornaments. Garlands of holly was strung all around the wall and around the teacher's table, tied together with big red bows. All of this with the falling snow from the ceiling made it all the perfect picture. Mia was just a little sad that she wouldn't be at Hogwarts for Christmas, but she was happy that she would be seeing her parents and Brian for the first time since September. She missed them so much, she could hardly wait! As soon as they were done their classes for the day, Mia did her usual routine of running off to Gryffindor Tower, grabbing her cloak, and setting off down the stairs.

"Going outside again?" asked Ron.

"Yup," said Mia gleefully. "You guys want to come?"

"Sure," said Ron, starting to close his book.

"Ron, you're still not done your Transfiguration essay," said Hermione sternly. "It's due tomorrow."

"Come on Hermione, I need a break," Ron whined. "I'll finish it tonight."

"No, you're going to play chess and Exploding Snaps all night and forget all about it until I say something, and then you'll beg me or Mia to help you," Hermione said. "And I won't listen when you do."

"I'm all set, I'll go with you Mia," said Harry while Ron glared at Hermione. "Just give me a second to put my things away."

Five minutes later, after they were both dressed warmly in their cloaks, scarfs, and gloves, Mia and Harry set off down the staircase and out into the frosted winter air. They just wandered aimlessly around the grounds for a little while, and Mia smiled as she saw some of the first years playing in the snow, and in the distance she caught sight of the Weasley twins bewitching snowballs to bounce off the top of Professor Quirrell's turban. She giggled at this, catching Harry's attention.

"You really like them don't you?" he asked.

"They're really funny," said Mia with a smile. "I love all their jokes and pranks, it makes everyone laugh and feel cheerful."

"I know what you mean," said Harry, returning her smile. "It's nice to have a good laugh every once in a while."

Mia nodded her head as they walked around one of the courtyards.

"Are you excited for Christmas?" she asked him.

"Honestly, yes," said Harry. "I didn't before, but I know this year is going to be great."

"Of course it will, because you'll be with me!" she said airily, as if being with her was the dreams of many. Harry snorted at that.

"I don't know if I should take that as a good thing or a bad thing."

"Hey!" she said. "Watch it Potter!"

"I don't think I will _Thatcher,_" Harry grinned. Before he knew what was happening, Mia quickly stooped down, gathered some snow in her hands, and smashed it into his face. Harry let out a yelp as the cold snow came into contact with his face, and he jumped back, shaking his head. Mia burst out laughing at him, hardly able to stand up straight. However, her laughter died as she saw Harry bend over and take some snow into his hands. She let out a squeal and started running for the hills with Harry close behind her. She took refuge behind a tree and peered out from the side, her eyes darting everywhere. There was no sign of Harry and after about a minute, she slowly moved out from her hiding place.

"Harry?" she called softly, walking with caution as she glanced around the entire courtyard. There was still no sign of him. Where did he go? At that moment, there was a loud shout of "Now!" and in the next second, Mia was being hit by multiple snowballs that came out of nowhere. She yelled and ran towards a snow dune, diving behind it as the snowballs continued to fly. She heard cackling laughter and looked out over the dune to see not only Harry, but Fred and George sitting in the tree she was hiding behind.

"No fair!" she yelled. "That's three against one! Some Gryffindors you are! And how did you get up there?"

"It's called stealth, Mia darling," said George with a wicked grin. "You see, when we saw poor young Harry try to go after you with only one pitiful snowball-"

"-my brother and I decided it was in his best interests to have some professionals help him out," finished Fred.

"That's still not fair," said Mia, making her eyes big and pouting in the best adorable face she could muster.

"No, _that's _not fair!" said Fred, avoiding her eyes. "Ugh, I hate it when you do this Mia!"

"Makes us feel guilty that does," agreed George. "You're a right little minx!"

"I learned from the best," said Mia, putting on a sweet smile. "Now are you three going to come down or do I have to make this snowman all by myself?"

The four of them quickly set to work on building a towering snowman, with the boys working on the bottom and Mia rolling up the body and head. They used piles of snow, and by the time they were done, it was almost seven feet, and required Fred to hoist Harry up on his shoulders to put the head on. They spent another hour or so finishing up the snowman, and then had another fierce snowball fight to the death until they decided it was time to go back inside to get ready for dinner. After Fred and George took off, saying they needed to go find Lee, Harry and Mia trudged their way back to the common room.

"Thanks again for inviting me to come home with you for Christmas Mia," said Harry as they walked.

"It's no problem Harry," she said. "Like I said, we'd be happy to have you with us."

Harry nodded, but his mind seemed to be somewhere else. There was a faraway look in his eyes, and he appeared to be deep in thought. He was quiet for the next few minutes as they walked, and it made Mia curious to know what was going on through his head.

"Harry?" she said. He shook himself out of his stupor and looked at her.

"Sorry?" he said.

"Penny for your thoughts?" she asked.

"Well," he said, sounding embarrassed. "I was just thinking about…my parents."

"Your parents?" Mia repeated softly, knowing this was a sensitive topic for him.

"You know, when I was little, I used to hope they would come and take me away," he continued on quietly. "Especially around Christmas. You know my aunt and uncle don't like me very much, so the holidays were never truly exciting. I don't why, but I've just been thinking about what would have happened if they hadn't died."

Mia silent for a moment, taking in his words. Harry was always sort of reserved, even around her. There were just some things he didn't want to talk about, things he wanted kept to himself. But she knew. She knew he longed for a family more than anything in the world, and although her parents treated him like their own, she knew deep down it wouldn't be the same. It hurt Mia to know that Harry was so sad and miserable, and she wished she could somehow bring his parents back for him. Then he would be happy and have the love he deserves. Mia reached out her hand and took hold of his, staring at him with a gentle smile.

"We can't change what happened in the past," she said. "But I know they loved you so very much, enough to sacrifice themselves to save you. That kind of love is powerful, and it stays with you for the rest of your life. Your parents would be proud Harry, I know they would."

"I just wish I knew more about them," said Harry, smiling sadly.

"Maybe we can find out," said Mia. "I'm sure some of our Professors knew them well, and we can try to find someone who was close to them. We can look into it when we come back, okay?"

Harry nodded and gave her a true smile this time. She squeezed his hand and grinned.

"Don't be sad anymore," she said. "Let's talk about how you're going to help Gryffindor beat Slytherin's sorry arse for the Quidditch Cup."

Harry chuckled and they continued their way up to the seventh floor of the castle. After giving the password to the Fat Lady, they clamored in through the portrait hole and into the common room. It was even more crowded than when they left, and they didn't see Ron or Hermione anywhere. Mia asked Neville if he had seen them, and he said they went upstairs to the boys dormitories with a package that Hedwig had brought. Thanking Neville, Harry and Mia went up the spiral staircase and headed towards the dorm to find Ron and Hermione sitting on the bed with more books scattered around them.

"Hey guys," said Mia as they entered, removing her cloak and gloves.

"Hi Mia," said Hermione. "Sorry we weren't downstairs, but we decided to look for Flamel a little more before dinner-"

"More like you forced me to," Ron muttered.

"-and since it was getting crowded, we came up here so no one would bother us. Oh Harry, Hedwig brought something for you, we put it on your bed."

Indeed, sitting on Harry's bed was a brightly wrapped parcel with a note sticking to it. Harry went over and picked it up while Mia took a seat next to Hermione on the bed.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Dunno," Ron shrugged. "Maybe an early Christmas present?"

"Possibly," said Hermione. "Maybe someone wanted to give it to you before we left?"

"Can't think of anyone though," said Harry thoughtfully. He took hold of the parcel and ripped the paper off. Mia stared as something fluid and silvery gray fell gracefully to the floor where it lay in gleaming folds. It was beautiful material, and it looked like woven water. Ron and Hermione gasped loudly, with Ron shooting up from the bed, making a couple books topple to the floor. There was a shocked and awed expression on his face, as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"What?" said Mia.

"I know what that is!" Ron gasped in a whisper.

"But it can't be," Hermione breathed. "They're really rare-"

"What is it?" asked Harry.

"It's an Invisibility Cloak!" said Ron.

"An Invisibility Cloak?" said Mia, staring at the silk like material. "Are you sure?"

"Positive!" answered Ron excitedly. "Try it on Harry!"

Harry, looking dazed, picked up the cloak and draped it around his shoulders. Hermione gasped, Ron gave a whoop of enthusiasm, and Mia's mouth dropped open as they saw everything below Harry's head completely disappear. Harry stared at them for a minute before looking down, his eyes going wide.

"That's amazing!" said Mia, a grin coming across her face.

"It's more than amazing!" Ron gushed. "It's brilliant! I'd give anything for one of those. Think of all the things you could get away with-"

Ron stopped dead at the look Hermione gave him and shifted uncomfortably where he stood.

"Wait, what about the note?" asked Mia. "What does the note say?"

Harry grabbed the note off of the bed and read out loud," Your father left this in my possession before he died. It is time it was returned to you. Use it well. A very happy Christmas to you."

"That's it?" said Hermione. "I wonder who sent it."

Before anyone could say anything, they heard the sound of people on the stairs and Harry quickly stuffed the cloak out of sight. Dean and Seamus came inside laughing about something and said a brief hello to them, which they returned. Silently agreeing that they all could look at the cloak again later on, they left the dormitory and headed back downstairs to go to dinner with everyone else.

That night, Mia couldn't sleep. She kept waking to strange and confusing dreams that had her wondering if she should have taken Ron's dare and eaten that green pudding at dinner. Every time she closed her eyes, she could see herself running along the edge of the Forbidden Forest at night, clad in nothing but her night gown and racing through the grass barefoot. As she was running, she saw that Harry was running next to her, looking carefree and happy. There was a certain glow about him, and something else she couldn't describe. He smiled at her, and she smiled back, pushing herself faster. After a moment she finally came to a halt as she found herself at the Black Lake. She turned behind her to face Harry, but instead of her black haired best friend, there was a magnificent white and brown Stag, standing tall and proud, and gazing at her with its dark eyes. Mia wasn't scared of this creature. Instead, she smiled at it and gently stroked the soft hair on its neck. At that point the Stag would start to glow a blinding silver color and it was then that Mia would awake, getting more and more confused each time she let her head fall back onto the pillow.

…

"Harry James Potter, you did _what?!_"

"Keep it down Mia!"

"Why didn't you wake me up mate?"

"Ron this is serious, don't encourage him!"

"Hermione how is he encouraging it when Harry's already done it? Didn't you learn your lesson with Fluffy?"

"This mirror sounds cool though, I'd like to see his mom and dad-"

"There's nothing cool about it, it could be dangerous and Harry shouldn't have been out of bed-"

"Will you three be quiet?!" Harry hissed, glaring at them. It was now the following morning, and the four friends were all seated at the Gryffindor table while Harry was telling them of his late night adventure. Apparently, Harry got the marvelous idea of using the invisibility cloak to go wandering around after curfew. He wanted to go to the Restricted Section of the library and spend all the time he needed to look up information on Nicolas Flamel and not be interrupted. But when he tried to open one of the books, it screamed, and he had to get out of there before the teachers found him. He managed to hide in an unused classroom, and it was there that he found a strange mirror. He explained that when he looked into the mirror, he saw his entire family, including his parents, standing beside him. Mia's fears of Harry getting caught were temporarily forgotten, and was replaced by sadness. She couldn't imagine how Harry must have felt, standing there and seeing his family. It must have been so overwhelming, and exciting at the same time.

"Harry, you mustn't go back!" Hermione said in a whisper. "You have no idea if that mirror is dangerous or not."

"Come on Hermione, what could be so bad about a mirror that shows someone their family?" said Ron as he took a bite out of his toast. "I'd like to see Harry's parents."

"And I want to see all your family, all the Weasleys, you'll be able to show me your other brothers and everyone," Harry added with an eager smile. "And you can show us your parents too Hermione."

"Harry, we could get caught!"

"Hermione, if we have the cloak I think we'll be okay," Mia said gently to calm her friend. "And you have to admit, wouldn't it be intriguing to see it? A mirror that can show a person's entire family tree? That's very advanced magic, and it could be an influential experience for us. If we see the mirror for ourselves, we can see if it's dangerous, and learn all about its magical capabilities."

Hermione turned silent and thoughtful, and Harry and Ron beamed at Mia. They all knew Hermione wouldn't turn her nose up at such an academic opportunity to observe such an advanced magical artifact. After what seemed to be an ongoing internal battle, Hermione frowned.

"Oh, all right!" she said, going back to her food. "But if we get caught I'm cursing all three of you into the next century."

"Wouldn't have it any other way Mione," said Mia, her eyes sparkling.

…

That night, Mia and her friends found themselves all hunched together under the invisibility cloak, retracing Harry's steps from the previous night to try to find the mirror again. The corridors were dark and cold, and Mia shivered as she scooted closer to Hermione. They had been wandering around for nearly an hour, and Ron was starting to moan about his feet being frozen. Mia really couldn't blame him, it was freezing out here! Since there was four of them underneath the cloak, they had to move pretty slow so as not to make any noise. Another fifteen minutes passed and just when Mia was going to suggest that they head back, Harry made a sharp turn past a suit of armor, his face showing excitement.

"It's here — just here — yes!"

They came upon a classroom door and hurriedly pushed it open, scurrying inside. Harry instantly threw the cloak off of himself and ran forward towards a high, golden framed mirror that very nearly reached the ceiling and stood on two clawed feet. Mia folded the cloak and tucked it under her arms, and then looked over at Harry, who was gazing into the mirror with a longing expression on his face, as if he were wishing he could somehow jump through it. Mia, Ron and Hermione cautiously stepped up about a foot behind him and peered around him into the mirror. Mia furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. She couldn't see anything except her and the others.

"See?" Harry whispered.

"I can't see anything," said Ron, scrunching up his eyes as if that would help him.

"Look! Look at them all… there are loads of them…"

"I can only see us Harry," said Hermione anxiously. "There's nothing else."

"Look in it properly, go on, stand where I am," Harry instructed as he stepped aside, allowing Ron to stand in front of the mirror. For a moment Ron still looked confused, but then his eyes widened as he stared at his reflection.

"Look at me!" he said.

"Can you see all your family standing around you?" asked Mia.

"No — I'm alone — but I'm different — I look older — and I'm head boy!"

"What?" said Mia and Hermione together in shock.

"I am — I'm wearing the badge like Bill used to — and I'm holding the house cup and the Quidditch cup — I'm Quidditch captain, too," Ron breathed out in astonishment. He turned to face them with a gleeful look on his face.

"Do you think this mirror shows the future?" he asked.

"Ron!" said Mia.

"How can it?" answered Harry impatiently. "All my family are dead —Hermione, what can you see?"

Hermione timidly stepped forward as Ron moved aside reluctantly. She stared into the mirror for a minute, her expression a mix of wonder, happiness, and fondness. After about another minute, she stepped backward as well.

"What did you see?" Mia asked her.

"I saw us," said Hermione with a smile. "But we looked older. We were sitting by the lake in the summer, just talking and laughing. It was really nice…"

"But you didn't see your family at all?" said Harry. Hermione shook her head and he scowled in frustration. Before he could say anything, Mia walked forward until she was in front of the mirror, and the others were silent, waiting to see what she said.

At first, Mia only saw herself, standing there in her night gown, gazing into her own eyes. Then, to her surprise, she saw Harry standing right next to her, holding her hand and smiling at her. He looked so happy and joyful, and her reflection was smiling as well. After a couple more seconds, Mia shifted her gaze and her eyes grew wide as she saw the two people standing behind Harry. A man and a woman. The woman was beautiful, with long, flowing red hair, a heart shaped face, and bright emerald green eyes that were almond shaped…just like Harry's. The man next to her was thin, had messy jet black hair, and warm hazel eyes that shone from behind his glasses. He was the spitting image of Harry and Mia felt her stomach drop. The woman bent over to kiss Harry on top of the head while the man clapped him on the shoulder. Harry looked at his parents as they stared down at him with the outmost love and care. Then they turned their gaze to Mia and smiled at her with the same look, with the man nodding at her in what appeared to be an appreciative way. Mia felt a strange aching in her heart, and she was frozen to the spot.

"Mia?" came Hermione worried voice. "Mia, why are you crying?"

Mia suddenly realized there was a single tear running down her face, but she didn't wipe it away.

"I see them," she whispered.

"What?" her friends chorused together.

"I see your parents Harry," said Mia, never tearing her eyes away from the mirror. "And I see you too. You look just like your dad."

"How can you see me too though?" Harry said, looking towards the mirror. "Let me have another look-"

"Hey, you had it to yourself all last night, give us a bit more time," said Ron as he came in front of the mirror.

"You were only holding the Quidditch cup, what's interesting about that? I want to see my parents," said Harry as he pushed Ron.

"Don't push me-"

"Guys, please stop!" said Hermione.

"Be quiet!" Mia hissed suddenly. There was a noise that came from out in the corridor and it brought an erupt end to their little squabble. How loud had they been talking?

"Cloak! Now!" said Mia, quickly unraveling the soft material and throwing it over the others as they huddled together. Just as they disappeared from sight, Mrs. Norris poked her head around the door and stared straight at them. Mia held her breath, worry gripping her insides. Can Mrs. Norris see through the cloak? It seemed like hours they were stuck under her piercing gaze, but after a while, she turned and left the room. Mia breathed a sigh of relief.

"We shouldn't be here," said Hermione, a note of panic in her voice. "She might have gone to get Filch. We have to leave!"

"But…" said Harry, looking back to the mirror.

"Harry please, we can't stay here," said Mia, gently taking his arm. "We have to get back to bed."

And with that, Mia pulled Harry along as the fur of them made their way out of the classroom and out into the corridor. They moved a little faster getting back to the common room, and only once they were safe inside did they lift off the cloak. There was a moment of silence as they stared at one another.

"We probably shouldn't have gone," said Mia softly.

"Yeah," said Ron. "There's something not right about that mirror."

"It doesn't make sense though," said Harry. "How come Mia and I were the only ones who saw my parents?"

"I don't know Harry," Hermione replied sadly. There was nothing else that could have been said. Without looking at each other, all four of them trudged up to bed, each one wondering what it was exactly that they had seen in that mirror and why it had affected them so.

**Review? Pretty please? **


	15. Christmas Snow

**Okay guys, here's the chapter fourteen. I'm really excited, I never thought I would get this far! I really like how this turned out, and if there's anything confusing to you, just let me know. I hope you guys like it, enjoy! **

**Disclaimer: All things Harry Potter do not belong to me, sadly. **

Chapter Fourteen: Christmas Snow

HPOV

The next morning, Harry found himself sitting in front of the fire in the Gryffindor common room, staring absentmindedly into the flickering flames. The noise everyone was making seemed distant, and he barely heard any of it. His mind was far too gone into a different place…a place where his parents were standing by his side, smiling at him. Ever since last night, he couldn't get the image out of his mind, and it prevented him from getting any sleep. All he wanted to do was go back to that room to find the mirror so he could see his parents. To him, that was more important than anything else right now. He had to see them again, to see their faces, to sit with them, and to see everyone else in his family. He had to. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his friends take a seat beside him on the sofa, but he didn't say anything to them.

"Want to play chess, Harry?" said Ron.

"No," Harry replied.

"Do you want to go and visit Hagrid?" piped up Mia.

"Or maybe look for Flamel?" Hermione added.

"No," said Harry again.

"Harry," said Ron in a serious tone. "I know you're thinking about the mirror, but you can't go back."

"Why not?" said Harry stubbornly, never taking his eyes off the fire.

"I dunno, I've just got a bad feeling about it — and anyway, you've had too many close shaves already. Filch, Snape, and Mrs. Norris are wandering around. So what if they can't see you? What if they walk into you? What if you knock something over?"

"We didn't get caught last night," Harry remarked.

"That doesn't mean we'll get that lucky again," Hermione countered. "Harry there's something really wrong with the mirror. The way it affected us-the way we fought over it…"

"It's not healthy," Mia added. "I understand how you feel about it Harry, but-"

"No you don't," said Harry, turning to look at her. "You don't know what it's like to see your dead parents for the first time in your life, to see what they look like, to see them smile at you. You all got to be with a family who loves you, who was there with you, while I barely had anyone and had to take care of myself."

Harry regretted the words the second they left his mouth and immediately felt guilty when he saw Mia wince slightly at his words, looking down with a hurt expression. He mentally kicked himself. He didn't mean to upset her.

"Mia, I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"

"I get it Harry," she said softly, though her voice was a little strained. "You're not happy at home. I understand. I, um, should go make sure I have everything packed for tomorrow."

"Mia," said Harry, but she was already up from the sofa and crossing the room to the girl's staircase. Harry felt horrible. He didn't know what made him say that, Mia was the only source of happiness he had at Privet Drive, and he made it sound like she wasn't important. Hermione gave him a stern look before getting up to follow Mia.

"What's the matter with you?" said Ron with a frown.

"I-I didn't mean to say that," Harry muttered shamefully.

"That mirror is messing with your head!" said Ron. "I'm serious, Harry, don't go."

Harry knew he had to talk to Mia, but he also knew she probably didn't want to see him right now. She was only looking out for him, but the thought of not seeing his parents again wasn't something he wanted to think about.

_Just one more night, _he thought to himself. He'll go one last time, and then he will do whatever he could to make it up to Mia, no matter what.

The school day went on at an unbearable slow pace. Mia was unnaturally quiet during classes, keeping herself in her notes. Even Hermione wasn't able to get much out of her, and it made Harry feel even worse. Every time he tried to talk to her, her answers were vague, and the smile she gave him was fake, never reaching her eyes. By the time dinner finally rolled around, Mia didn't eat much, and Harry unsuccessfully tried to catch her eye. When they went back to the common room, Harry missed his chance again when Mia quickly walked up the girl's staircase before he could even get a word out. He waited for her to come back down, but after a while he sighed in defeat and called it a night.

That night, as he lay in bed much later, he listened to the sound of Ron's snores, making sure it was all clear before he silently crept out of bed, pulled on his cloak, and left the dormitory. He found his way to the room more quickly than he had the past two nights. He was walking so fast he knew he was making more noise than was wise, but he didn't meet anyone in the corridors. He felt excitement rise up in his chest as he once again found the suit of armor and then the door leading to the classroom. He quickly pulled off his cloak and ran over to the mirror. There were his mother and father smiling at him again, and one of his grandfathers nodding happily. Harry sank down to sit on the floor in front of the mirror and crossed his legs. There was nothing to stop him from staying here all night with his family. Nothing at all. Except —

"So — back again, Harry?"

Harry felt as though his insides had turned to ice and a jolt of fear shot straight through his body as he anxiously looked over his shoulder. Sitting on one of the desks by the wall was none other than Albus Dumbledore, peering at Harry over his half-moon glasses with his piercing blue eyes.

"I — I didn't see you, sir," said Harry, going red from embarrassment.

"Strange how nearsighted being invisible can make you," said Dumbledore, and Harry was relieved to see that he was smiling. Dumbledore slipped off of the desk and walked on over next to Harry. Harry watched as the headmaster crouched down and sat beside him on the ground in front of the mirror.

"So," said Dumbledore casually. "I see you, like hundreds before you, have discovered the delights of the Mirror of Erised."

"I didn't know it was called that, Sir," Harry admitted.

"But I expect you've realized by now what it does?"

"It — well — it shows me my family —"

"And it showed your friends a different image all together," Dumbledore commented. Harry looked at him aghast.

"How did you know —?"

"I don't need a cloak to become invisible," Dumbledore explained gently. "Now, can you think what the Mirror of Erised shows us all?"

Harry shook his head.

"Let me explain. The happiest man on earth would be able to use the Mirror of Erised like a normal mirror, that is, he would look into it and see himself exactly as he is. Does that help?"

"So it shows us what we want… whatever we want…" said Harry slowly.

"Yes and no," said Dumbledore quietly. "It shows us nothing more or less than the deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts. You, who have never known your family, see them standing around you. Ronald Weasley, who has always been overshadowed by his brothers, sees himself standing alone, the best of all of them. Hermione Granger, who has spent most of her life in the company of her books, craves for true friends who will love her for who she is and stand by her. Amelia Thatcher, someone who cares for you so deeply, wants nothing more than for you to find happiness and be with those who love you."

Harry was quiet as he listened to Dumbledore speak. That made sense when he thought about what his friends had seen in the mirror. His heart grew heavy as it increased in guilt. Mia's greatest desire was for him to be happy, she wasn't even thinking about herself.

"However," continued Dumbledore. "This mirror will give us neither knowledge or truth. Men have wasted away before it, entranced by what they have seen, or been driven mad, not knowing if what it shows is real or even possible. The Mirror will be moved to a new home tomorrow, Harry, and I ask you not to go looking for it again. If you ever do run across it, you will now be prepared. It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live, remember that. Now, why don't you put that admirable cloak back on and get off to bed?"

Harry nodded his head as both he and Dumbledore stood up from the floor. He thought for a moment and turned to face the elderly wizard.

"Sir — Professor Dumbledore? Can I ask you something?"

"Obviously, you've just done so," Dumbledore smiled. "You may ask me one more thing, however."

"What do you see when you look in the mirror?"

"I? I see myself holding a pair of thick, woolen socks," Dumbledore answered. Harry stared at him.

"One can never have enough socks," said Dumbledore. "Another Christmas has come and gone and I didn't get a single pair. People will insist on giving me books."

"I can't imagine why Sir," said Harry with a small smile. Dumbledore chuckled merrily, and then he and Harry both left the room, neither one of them glancing behind to have a final look at the mirror. Dumbledore accompanied Harry most of the way to the common room, leaving him when they reached the sixth floor. After bidding him goodnight, Harry quickly made his way up to the Fat Lady's portrait. Grumbling about waking her up in the middle of the night, she allowed him entrance into the tower, and as soon as harry entered, he looked around and came to a stop.

Sleeping soundly on the loveseat was Mia, her head resting on the pillow and curled up under a blanket, her hair falling into her face and her mouth slightly open. Harry smiled softly at the sight, knowing she was waiting for him. Folding the cloak under his arm, he went over to the loveseat and crouched down beside Mia, placing his hand on her shoulder.

"Mia," he whispered, gently shaking her. "Mia, wake up."

Mia groaned in protest, shifting herself on the loveseat and pulling the blanket closer to her body. After a couple more tries, Harry finally saw her eyes start to flutter open and she stared at him through heavy eyelids.

"Hey," she mumbled.

"Hey," said Harry. "What are you doing down here?"

"I had a feeling you were going to go find the mirror again," Mia replied as she started to sit up. "I wanted to make sure you got back okay-"

The rest of Mia's sentence was cut off as Harry suddenly leaned forward and wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug, taking her by surprise. After what he said to her, she still wanted to make sure he didn't get caught, and that meant a lot to him.

"I'm sorry Mia," he mumbled into her shoulder. "I didn't mean what I said before, I swear. I just wanted to see my parents so badly, I wasn't thinking. You're my best friend, and you're very important to me, you're the only thing that makes Privet Drive bearable. I didn't mean to upset you. Can you forgive me?"

Harry's response was Mia grabbing him into a hug as well, and when she spoke, he could hear the smile in her voice.

"Of course I forgive you Harry," she said. "I was actually going to apologize to you for overreacting, but you beat me to it. I understand how much you wanted to see your parents, and I know you didn't mean what you said. That mirror mixed with our emotions, it makes sense you were not thinking straight."

"It did a lot more than that," said Harry as they let go of one another.

"What do you mean?" asked Mia. In a low whisper, Harry told her about running into Dumbledore and how he explained that people went mad because of what they saw. When he finished, her eyes were as big as saucers.

"So it shows our greatest desires?" she said. "That's amazing, but it's sad too. When we looked into it, we saw what we wanted most in the world…"

Mia suddenly looked down at her hands, her hair falling into her face, but not before Harry caught the slight pink tinge in her cheeks. He forced himself not to smile. She must be thinking about what she had seen in the mirror, and would probably be embarrassed if she thought he knew. Not wanting her to feel awkward, Harry stood up from the loveseat.

"Come on," he said. "We're going home tomorrow, we should get some sleep."

Mia nodded her head and then she stood up as well, taking hold of the blanket in her arms. Saying a tired goodnight to her, Harry walked up the staircase, looking forward to lying down on his bed and getting some well-deserved rest.

…..

Early the next morning, everyone was up, packed, and fed before getting ready to take the carriages down to the train station in Hogsmeade. As Harry, Mia, and Hermione were saying goodbye to Ron in the common room, Mia gave him a hug and informed him that his present was on sitting on his bed. Harry also laughed when she threatened him that if he opened it before Christmas morning, she would turn him into a slug and hide him in Snape's private stores to be used for their first Potions class at the end of the holidays. Still laughing at the horrified look on Ron's face, Harry set of with Mia and Hermione with the other students who were going home. The three of them quickly made their way down the staircases and into the entrance hall, where a huge crowd of students were gathered with their things, waiting to be herded outside once their names have been checked off by Filch. Harry, Hermione and Mia were able to get a carriage with Neville and Jenna, who were both going home as well. They all made pleasant talk as the carriage pulled them away from the castle and down the snow covered path that would lead them into Hogsmeade station. The grounds around them looked amazing, and as they passed by the village, Harry could see the white-roofed houses and the distant sound of Christmas bells ringing.

Soon enough everyone was loading their luggage onto the Hogwarts Express, and in next to no time, they were all sitting in a compartment together, watching as the train rolled out of the station to start their journey back to London. Harry was quite excited to see Mr. and Mrs. Thatcher again. He really missed them, and he was even looking forward to Brian trying to pull off his glasses like he always does. He was also wondering where the cottage would be, as he had never seen or set foot in the country before. Aunt Petunia would surely faint at dirt and surrounding moss while Uncle Vernon would gruff and complain about the lack of doughnut shops. Harry had always thought about what it would be like to live in the country, someplace you could see the sky. Being confined to the suburbs of Privet Drive all his life, his mind like to wander around in open fields and wide streams.

Harry and the others played a game of Exploding Snap to pass the time. Poor Neville kept losing and having his cards exploding in his face. When the old witch with the candy cart came around, they all got a small handful of sweets and continued on with their game. Sapphire entertained herself by moving around the compartment and rubbing herself against everyone's legs, along with being cooed at and pet by all the girls. Time passed by fairly quickly, and after half a dozen games of exploding Snap, Gobstones, eating their sweets, and just simply talking, the Hogwarts Express slowed down until finally coming to a halt at Platform Nine and Three-Quarters in Kings Cross. Looking outside, Harry could see that the platform was swarming with excited families, eager to see their children step off the train. After changing into their Muggle clothes, Harry and the others grabbed their trunks from the racks and filed out onto the platform with everyone else. It was a little difficult to maneuver around with so many people, and Harry could barely see anything through the crowd.

"Jenna!" cried a woman's voice from somewhere. "Jenna, Derrick, where are you?"

"That's my mom," said Jenna. "I'll see you guys on the ride back to school. Mia, don't forget to write me."

"I won't," Mia replied as she gave Jenna a hug, along with Hermione. With a final wave goodbye, Jenna disappeared through the crowd.

"We should get going," said Harry to Mia. "Your parents should be waiting on the other side."

"Mine too," said Hermione. "Bye Neville, we'll see you later."

"Bye guys," said Neville. Harry, Hermione and Mia followed a long line of students over to the gate that separated them from the Muggle world. The elderly guard was letting everyone through the barrier in twos and threes, so as not to alarm the Muggles by rushing out all at the same time. It took a little while, but soon enough it was their turn. Keeping a steady pace, Harry and the girls walked through the barrier, and the minute they stepped through, they heard an excited voice shouting loudly.

"Mia! Mia!"

There was Mr. and Mrs. Thatcher, with Brian standing at their side. Upon seeing them, the little boy's face lit up like a Christmas tree, and he waddled his way over to them, his arms open wide. Mia grinned, and then she dropped her trunk, ran forward and scooped Brian up into her arms, swinging him around and making him erupt into a fit of giggles. Harry smiled as he watched Mia pull her little brother close in a tight embrace while he snuggled up against her. Ben and Catherine came forward with huge smiled on their faces, and then they both wrapped Mia up into their arms in a big group hug. Harry felt his stomach twist a little at the sight. For half a second he thought back to the mirror of Erised, how his parents had smiled at him the same way Mia's were smiling at her now. However, those thoughts were wiped away the minute Ben caught sight of him. The man smiled widely, walked over to Harry, and engulfed him in a hug, patting him on the back. For a moment Harry was stunned, although he didn't understand why. This wasn't the first time Ben had hugged him, but this one felt different somehow…almost like how a father would hug his son. Harry immediately returned the hug, a smile of his own coming to his face.

"Oh, Mia, Harry, we've missed you both so much!" gushed Catherine, her eye looking glassy. "We couldn't wait for this day to come."

"We missed you too Mum," said Mia, still keeping a hold of Brian. "Mum, Dad, this is my friend, Hermione Granger."

"Pleased to meet you Mr. and Mrs. Thatcher," greeted Hermione politely.

"Oh, it's so nice to meet you dear," said Catherine with a beaming smile. "Mia's told us so much about you, said you were the brightest student inn your year!"

Hermione blushed madly at this. "I'm nothing special, nowhere near as great as Mia…"

"You're both equally brilliant," said Harry, causing Hermione to blush even more. Mia giggled at her until another couple approached them. This had to be Hermione's parents. Mrs. Granger was the spitting image of her daughter, with brown hair and warm brown eyes, although it looked like Hermione had inherited the curls from her father. The Grangers scooped Hermione into their arms the moment they reached her, with Mrs. Granger smothering her in kisses.

"Mom!" said Hermione.

"You must be Hermione's parents," said Ben as he held out his hand. "I'm Ben Thatcher."

"Nice to meet you," said Mr. Granger cheerfully as they shook hands. "I'm Richard Granger, and this is my wife, Jean. Our Hermione told us so much about your daughter, she's been such a good friend to her."

"Same could be said for Hermione," said Catherine. "I'm Catherine, and this is our son Brian."

"He so adorable," cooed Mrs. Granger sweetly.

"Mom, Dad, this is Harry Potter, he's another one of my best friends," Hermione introduced.

"Good to meet you, son," said Mr. Granger.

"You too, Sir," replied Harry.

"Well, we should probably get going," said Ben. "We have a long drive ahead of us. It was nice meeting all of you, and we should have the kids get together over the summer."

"We should," agreed Jean. After saying to goodbye to each other and shaking more hands (and Mia squeezing the life out of Hermione), they went their separate ways out of the station. Harry and the Thatcher's went outside into the small blizzard that had settled over the city. The snow was coming down a little harder than it was that morning, and everyone was bundled up tight to keep away the harsh wind. Thankfully, the car wasn't parked too far away, and as soon as everyone was seated and ready, Ben pulled out into the street and started driving.

"So, what have you two been up to at school?" asked Catherine eagerly. "Tell us everything."

Harry stole a glance at Mia and they shared a secret smile. Where should they even start?

….

"Harry! Harry, come on, get up, get up!"

"Go away Mia," Harry grumbled, snuggling deeper into the covers of his bed. Why in God's name was she up so early?

"_Come on Harry!_" Mia yelled again, and in the next moment, Harry felt the covers being ripped away from his body, and the loss of the warmth made him shiver. Groaning loudly, Harry pulled his pillow over his head, determined to ignore the hyper girl.

"Harry James Potter if you do not get up to open presents with me I'm going to-"

Mia didn't need to finish her sentence, because the minutes she mentioned presents, Harry shot up out of bed, and started groping around for his glasses. As soon as he had them on, he looked at Mia with excitement and joy, the grin on his face stretching from ear-to-ear. How could he be so stupid? It's Christmas! Suddenly feeling wide awake, he jumped up out of bed and sped past Mia out the bedroom door.

"Come on Mia!" he called, racing down the hallway. He heard a shout of laughter and the sound of pounding feet behind him. The two children flew down the stairs, taking them two at a time, laughing the whole way. As soon as their feet touched the first floor, they turned left into the living room, ad their mouths feel open as they came to a complete halt in the doorway.

The living room looked amazing! It wasn't a huge area, but it was just perfect for the group of five. The walls were a soft misty green color with a crème colored carpet, coffee brown furniture, mahogany bookshelves in the corner, and a white mantelpiece with a fireplace underneath it. In the right hand corner of the room was a towering Christmas tree that Mr. Thatcher, Harry and Mia had gone off to cut down the day after they had arrived at the cottage, and it sparkled beautifully with its many lights, ornaments, and candy canes dangling from its branches. Strings of holly, berries, and wreaths were laid out on the tables, mantelpiece, along with crystal angels playing golden instruments, and bits of tinsel. Multi-colored lights were blinking in the bay windows, along with little Christmas figurines that the Thatchers had collected over the years. There were gingerbread houses laid out on the wooden coffee table in between the sofa and loveseat, and last but not least, five stockings were hung in a row over the fireplace, each one stuffed with what appeared to be candy. The sight was magnificent to behold, and Harry couldn't help but gape at it before he turned his attention to the tree, where a big pile of brightly wrapped gifts sat waiting to be opened.

"It looks amazing!" squealed Mia in excitement. "Mum! Dad! Come on, it's Christmas!"

After a painful five minutes of waiting, Ben and Catherine came walking downstairs, carrying a half awake Brian along with them. The minute they were given the nod of approval, Harry and Mia both dived into the pile of presents, frantically searching for the ones with their names on it while Mia's parents chuckled at them. Harry, to his utter shock, found a good deal of presents that were addressed to him. From Hagrid, he got a wooden flute that looked as it if had been hand-carved by the gamekeeper himself. The next present he opened was very small, and came with a short note.

_We received your message and enclose your Christmas present. From Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia._ Taped to the note was a fifty-pence piece.

"That's friendly," said Harry.

"Didn't you get anything else from your relatives Harry?" asked Catherine, frowning slightly at the coin. Harry blushed a little and shook his head.

"Maybe you can send it to Ron," Mia suggested, clearly sensing Harry's discomfort. "He might like it."

The next gift Harry tore open was a thick emerald green sweater that matched his eyes, along with a large box of homemade fudge, both from Ron's mother. Mia had gotten one as well, only hers was a frosted pink pearl color. They both quickly pulled on their sweaters, which were nice and warm while they continued to open their gifts. Mia's parents loved the box of magical candy that Mia had gotten them, along with a pretty charm bracelet for her mother and a charmed magical planner for her father. Along with his other gifts, Harry also received a box of chocolate frogs from Hermione, a broom catalogue from Ron, a football and a couple outfits from Mia's parents, and brand new Quidditch gloves and a book about the different Quidditch teams from Mia. Harry was so overjoyed and happy with all these presents, he couldn't stop smiling. He laughed when Mia let out a shriek of delight and grabbed her parents into a bone crushing hug after opening a new sketch pad and an arts and craft kit, complete with everything from pastel paints to colored pencils.

Everyone sat back and admired their gifts for most of the morning, with Brian playing with his new toys and the leftover wrapping paper that littered the floor around him. At one point Sapphire made her presence known, as she was meowing, trying to catch the tinsel that was hanging from the branches of the tree and curling up on Mia's lap when it was time for her nap. It was a very enjoyable affair, and after a long while, Catherine went into the kitchen to start on breakfast while Ben, Mia and Harry cleaned up the living room. Once they were done, Mia and Harry went upstairs to get dressed and to put away their gifts to use them later. Harry tried on one of his new outfits and was glad that they actually fit him right. At least now he had something that didn't belong to Dudley anymore. Once he was ready, he went next door to Mia's room and knocked. A second later, Mia emerged, wearing simple blue jeans and the sweater Mrs. Weasley made her. They quickly ran down the stairs again as Ben was placing Brian in his high chair and Catherine was throwing some sausage into the stove.

"So what are we going to do today Dad?" asked Mia.

"Well, after breakfast we were thinking about going to the park to go sledding," Ben replied with a smile. "And possibly go skating at the lake."

"Really?!" exclaimed Mia, bouncing in her seat. "That's awesome!"

Harry shifted a little in his seat, looking down at the table.

"What is it Harry?" asked Catherine, looking at him in concern.

"I don't know how to skate," Harry muttered, his face going red.

"Don't worry Harry, we'll teach you," Ben assured him. "It's pretty easy once you get the hang of it."

"It'll be fun Harry," Mia added. "It's a tradition we do every time we come here. In the winter we go sledding in the park and skate on the lake, and during summer we go swimming. You're going to love it!"

And so, about an hour later, Harry and the Thatchers were driving over to the local state park, their skates in their laps and their sleds in the trunk. Harry was nervous about skating, but he was excited as well. When they finally arrived at the park, they saw some other people there as well, gliding down the frosty hills with squeals of laughter and landing in snow dunes. Ben parked the car by the entrance, and when everyone was out and they took out the sleds, they began climbing to the top of one of the less steep hills, so none of them would fall while holding Brian. The toddler in question was looking at everything around him with glee while playing with his mother's curls. As soon as they reached the top, Ben placed the sleds down on the ground and turned to them with a smile.

"Who wants to go first?" he said. In the blink of an eye, Mia took hold of Harry's hand and dragged him over to the closest sled, sitting in the front. Harry grinned as he climbed in behind Mia, and when they were both settled, Ben came up and gave them one good push. Before they knew it, they were flying down the hill at high speed, the both of them yelling in exhilaration, with Harry's hands around Mia's waist, and with hers gripping the handles on the side of the sled. Everything went rushing past them in a blur of white, and they didn't stop yelling until they reached level ground and started slowing down. Once they came to a stop, they took one look at each other and burst out laughing. Harry felt the rush of adrenaline through his body and it was incredible. That was so much fun! They got out of the sled and turned around to see Ben and Catherine getting into the second sled with Brian. As soon as they took off, they both yelled out as they came down, with Brian grinning and throwing his hands up into the air. When they came to a stop next to Harry and Mia, Brian started cackling with cute baby laughter, his eyes shining.

"Again!" he said. "Mama, again!"

And so they all spent over next hour or so going down the hill together, each time riding with someone different. Brian loved it when he went down the hill with Mia and Harry, and Harry couldn't recall the last time he had this much fun. He also couldn't recall the last time he had laughed so hard. He cherished the feeling he was having, being a part of a real family who cared about him. The time went by so fast, it surprised them all at how it slipped past them. It was finally time for a break, and while Ben went back to the car to put the sleds away, Harry, Mia, and Catherine starting making their way over towards the lake. Harry's nerve started creeping up on him again as they were putting on their skates, and he fumbled a little with the laces on his. Mia must have seen this, because she leaned over and gave him an encouraging smile while she did his laces for him.

"Don't worry Harry, my dad's going to help you," she said. Harry nodded at her, but he still wasn't so sure. When they were all ready, Harry stood on wobbly knees, not used to wearing skates. He watched as Catherine, holding Brian tightly in her arms, slid out onto the ice with grace, with Mia following close behind her. He stood at the edge of the lake, looking at the ice and imagining the worst case possible, where it would crack the moment he slid out onto it and send him into he water. At that moment he felt a hand on his shoulder, and he looked up to see Ben smiling at him. He walked out on the ice and held his hand out to Harry, who hesitantly took it. With one shaking leg, he stepped one foot out on the ice-and fell flat on his rear. His face flushed in embarrassment as he heard Mia giggling at him. Ben offered his arm as support, and Harry clung to it for dear life as he got onto his feet with some difficulty.

"Now Harry, I'm going to start going backwards, just concentrate on keeping your feet together," instructed Ben. Harry did as he was told and tried to keep his feet from drifting apart as Ben started moving them forward. They went around the edge of the lake just in case Harry fell again. Harry lost his balance a few more times, but Ben saved him from falling to the ground. After a while Harry was able to keep his feet steady, and so Ben told him to start moving his feet forward in step with his. Gulping, Harry slowly moved his left foot forward and Ben moved his right one back, and then did it with the right. They kept this up for a little while longer, and while Harry did end up falling a couple times, he always got back up, not willing to accept defeat so easily. It took a while, but Harry grew more confident, and soon he was able to make his legs move properly, although not so without keeping at least one hand on Ben's arm. He was starting to move more easily, and he grinned at his accomplishment. Ben pulled Harry out towards the middle of the lake where Mia was twirling around her mother and she beamed when she saw how well Harry was doing.

The little family stayed out on the lake for a long while, skating around each other until Brian started yawning and dozing off on his mother's shoulder. They all got off the lake, took off their skates, and started heading back towards the car to go back to the cottage. Once there, Ben took Brian upstairs for his afternoon nap while Catherine went into the kitchen to start dinner and Harry followed Mia up to their rooms to send letters to all their friends.

"That was so much fun!" Mia laughed as she fell backwards onto her bed, smiling.

"It was," Harry agreed as he bent over his trunk and started to pull out some parchment and ink. "We should do this again next year."

"We should!" Mia said, her eyes glowing. "Maybe we can come back this summer! The park looks great when the trees and flowers are alive, and it'll be great to go swimming in the lake. And maybe Ron and Hermione could come with us! Mind you, we might have to convince Ron that cars are safe and teach him how to handle Muggle money."

Harry laughed at this as he took a seat next to Mia on the bed and started writing out his letter to Ron.

"I'm really glad you're having a good time Harry," Mia said sincerely. Harry looked up from his letter to look at his best friend, a smile forming on his lips.

"I'm glad I came," he said. "This has honestly been the best Christmas of my entire life. Thank you so much inviting me to come with you."

"That's what friends are for, right?" said Mia. "I'll always have your back Harry. Whether you like it or not, you're stuck with me until you're good and dead."

"Oh joy," said Harry teasingly. "That's certainly something to look forward to for the next fifty years or so."

Mia's response was smacking him in the face with one of her pillows and glaring at him playfully. He retaliated by hitting her back, and the next thing they knew, they were in the middle of an all-out pillow war, jumping on the bed and dodging each other's blows. However, the war didn't last long until they were interrupted by the sharp tapping at Mia's window. The two of them looked over to see Hedwig perched outside on the windowsill, a letter clutched in her beak. Harry quickly jumped down from the bed and went over to the window to let her in. Hedwig flew gracefully into the room and dropped the letter at Mia's feet before flying over to the dresser, ruffling her wings in a proud sort of way. While Harry went over to pet his faithful owl, Mia dropped down on the bed and tore open the letter. Harry watched as her eyes scanned the parchment, and a frowned came across her face. Her expression turned into one of great sorrow and she sighed heavily.

"What's wrong?" asked Harry.

"Poor boy," Mia mumbled, shaking her head in a tragic way. "When will he ever learn?"

"Mia, what is it?" said Harry.

"I do hope Ron wasn't very special to you Harry," Mia said, giving him a pitying look. "I just got a letter from Fred and George. Apparently our dear redheaded friend didn't take my warning seriously and he tried to take a peek at his present five minutes before midnight on Christmas Eve. Dear me, what will his mother say when he winds up missing?"

Harry stared at her for a total of five seconds before he burst into howling fits of laughter, clutching his stomach. _Well, it was nice knowing you, Ron. _

….

Christmas dinner that night was an enjoyable affair. Catherine had pulled out all the stops, making a delicious turkey, with cranberry stuffing, potatoes, vegetables, biscuits, and for dessert, homemade cherry pie with vanilla ice cream. It was very nice-they had eaten in the dining room, using the best china and with candles burning in the background. They all chatted cheerfully while they ate, and as soon as they were done, Harry and Mia went back upstairs to get changed into their pajamas, and then they brought down their pillows and blankets back into the living room, laying them out in front of the fireplace, which Ben was bringing to life with a match. Catherine had already put Brian to bed, and was now making some hot chocolate for them all while they were getting ready to watch a Christmas film on the T.V. Harry and Mia laid down in front of the T.V. with their hot chocolate in their hands, smiling with chocolate mustaches on their lips. As the film continued on Harry could feel his eyes start to grow really heavy, and he was finding it difficult to keep his head up. After a little while longer, he saw Mia put her head down and close her eyes, apparently just as tired as he was. Maybe just resting his eyes for a while wouldn't hurt. He laid down next to her and slowly closed his eyes, the last thing he remembered seeing was the Christmas snow that was gently falling outside.

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	16. You've Got To Be Kidding!

**Okey dokey, here's chapter fifteen. I'm so surprised at how fast I've been updating, it normally takes me much longer than this. I've been finding myself with a lot of free time and inspiration, so I'm going to enjoy it while it lasts. I hope you guys like this chapter, it's not as good as my other ones, I think, but the next one will be better. Any questions, comments, improvement, mistakes, just lay it on me! Enjoy! **

**Disclaimer: Do I have to say it? Ugh, fine, Harry Potter's not mine. (Grumbles)**

Chapter Fifteen: You've Got to Be Kidding!

MPOV

After Christmas, the rest of the break went by far too fast for Mia's liking. Her and Harry would spend their days playing outside in the snow, going to the park with Brian, walking around town, and staying up late at night just talking. Unfortunately, neither Ben nor Catherine knew who Nicolas Flamel was, and they were back to ground zero when it came to that. But they didn't let it worry them too much, and they focused more on having fun before it was time to go back to school. Mia had received letters from Ron and Hermione, both telling her how much they loved their gifts (and with a desperate P.S from Ron begging for mercy). It was a fun and carefree two weeks at the cottage, and Mia was glad for Harry to be releasing some of the stress he's been under, because at school, he's the Boy Who Lived, but here, he was just Harry.

Soon enough, all the fun was over, and it was time to head back to Hogwarts. On the morning before the first day of the new term, Mia and Harry found themselves walking into Kings cross station with Ben, Catherine, and Brian, pushing their trolleys along as they entered platforms nine and ten. When they reached the barrier, they all exchanged last minute hugs and kisses goodbye.

"Thank you so much for having me over for Christmas Mr. and Mrs. Thatcher," said Harry as he gave Catherine a hug.

"You're welcome Harry," said Catherine as she ruffled his hair fondly. "It was great having you."

"Now, you two be good and behave yourself," said Ben as he shifted Brian to his hip so he could give Mia a proper hug.

"We will Dad," said Mia, squeezing him tightly before gathering Brian into her arms. "Be good Brian, I'll see you next time I come home. I love you."

Brian gave a toothy grin at Mia and patted her face, giggling. Then he turned to Harry and raised his arms towards him.

"'Awwy!" he cried. "'Awwy!"

"You know Harry, I'm starting to think my brother is starting to love you more than me," Mia grumbled. "Little traitor."

Harry laughed at her and came over to take Brian off of her hands. As Harry hugged the boy, Brian's hands immediately went for his glasses and succeeded in removing them from Harry's nose, laughing hysterically as if he had accomplished the impossible.

"Never mind, he just loves your glasses," Mia stated with a triumphant smile.

"Oh, shut up," Harry muttered, taking his glasses back from Brian, who was grinning at him with a mischievous glint in his eyes. After Harry gave Brian back to Ben, Mia knew they had to get going. With one final wave goodbye, her and Harry stood side by side and then walked through the barrier taking them to Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. Once they were through, they saw that the platform was just as crowded as always, and they took off quickly to find a compartment. They found one near the middle of the train, and once they had both of their trunks up onto the racks, they took a seat across from each other and started playing a game of Exploding Snaps, looking forward to their journey back to Hogwarts, and excited about seeing Ron and everyone else. Barely even five minutes after the train started moving, their compartment door burst open and Mia was only able to catch a glimpse of frizzy brown hair before she was nearly tackled out of her seat.

"Oh Mia, I've missed you so much!" Hermione exclaimed excitedly. "Hi Harry! It's great to see you two! How was your holiday? What did you guys do? Did you get my gifts? I love my quill Mia, thank you so much! I just got your last letter yesterday, you're not really going to turn Ron into a slug are you?"

"Mione calm down," Mia giggled as she sat up in her seat. "It's only been two weeks. I missed you too, and our holiday was great, thanks. As for Ron, I'm still considering it."

Hermione's face grew a little worried, and Harry laughed at the possible fate of his best friend. They spent the rest of the ride talking about what they all did during Christmas. Mia told Hermione all about sledding and her dad teaching Harry how to skate while Hermione talked about the shopping she did with her parents in London. Hermione was a little disappointed about them not finding anything about Flamel, but she said they could start searching again when they were back at school, causing both Harry and Mia to groan and slump down into their seats. By the time they arrived at Hogsmeade Station, it was already dark out, and they fastened their cloaks around themselves before stepping out into the bitter cold. They ran into Jenna on the platform and all four of them rode in the same carriage up to the school. Once there, they hurriedly went upstairs to the seventh floor to go into the Gryffindor common room, only to realize that they did not yet know the new password to get inside. Just as they were wondering what to do, they heard two loud voices shout from behind them.

"MIA!"

Mia spun around to see the beaming and eager expressions of her favorite redheaded twins sprinting down the corridor, their arms open wide. Harry and Hermione had jumped out of the way just in time before Mia let out a sharp squeal as Fred and George threw their arms around her, nearly sending them all to the ground in a crumpled heap. Both pranksters were pretending to sob into Mia's shoulders, and her legs almost gave out from the weight of them.

"Oh sweet Amelia, you have returned to us!" cried Fred, pretending to wipe his eyes. "Merlin be praised for this day!"

"We have been so lost without you," continued George. "No one could save us from the annoying, rule abiding creature known as Percy! Please do not ever leave us again! I don't think our poor hearts could bear it!"

"My darling mischief makers," Mia cooed sympathetically as Harry and Hermione were doubling over with laughter. "Bless it be, for I have returned to you in your dire hour of need! Hear me now, nothing will ever take me away from my noble and gentle pranksters, and I promise to never leave you again."

"Thank you gracious lady, for we are in debt to you," said Fred sincerely, but with a bright grin on his face. "How can we ever repay you?"

"Would you be so kind as to tell us the new password into the tower?" asked Mia.

"Why certainly!" answered George as they straightened themselves up. "It's _Patronus._"

"Excellent, thanks guys!" said Mia as she hugged the twins and the portrait swung open to allow them entrance. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go see your brother about a slug problem."

"Mia you said you wouldn't!" Hermione said shrilly, her eyes going wide.

"I said I was still considering it," Mia corrected, smiling evilly before turning around and racing through the portrait hole and into the common room. "Oh Ronnie, I'm home!"

…

After a night of good laughs and Mia chasing a terrified Ron Weasley all around the common room, they all got up bright and early the next day to start the new term. They started getting into their daily routine of going to class, searching for Flamel during their breaks, and, in Harry's case, training for the upcoming Quidditch match against Hufflepuff. Mia was happy to get back into the swing of things, and although the holiday break was great, it was nice to get back into the books. Professor Sprout was exceptionally glad to see both her and Neville, secretly telling them she was glad to have two of her best Herbology students back. This comment made Neville blush. He hardly ever got any compliment for his work, and it was nice to see him have a little bit of confidence in himself to do something he really loves.

It felt good to be back with the hustle and bustle of the castle, and life at Hogwarts returned to just how it was before. Although it was still pretty cold outside, Mia still came to most of Harry's Quidditch practices, sitting in the stand as she watched. Wood was working the team harder than ever, pushing them to their limits at every practice, holding them out there for hours three or four times a week. While Mia thought Wood was crazy, she did kind of understand his motive. If Gryffindor won the match against Hufflepuff, than they would be in first place for the House Cup, beating out Slytherin for the first time in seven years. Mia's thoughts turned giddy at the thought of them winning the house cup, and she made sure to be there to support her team in whatever way she could.

After a few weeks of being back, Mia, Ron and Hermione were sitting in the common room, waiting for Harry to get done practice. Mia was curled up in her chair reading a book while Ron and Hermione were playing chess. Mia honestly didn't know why Hermione bothered-Ron was the best chess player anyone had ever seen, and he one every single game he was challenged to. Ron didn't really see himself to be good at anything, but he took pride at being the champion of chess. He thought it was healthy for Hermione to lose at chess, which Mia didn't really get, and had a smug grin whenever he won. Right now, Ron was staring intently at the board, contemplating his next move, when all of a sudden they heard the sound of the portrait opening, and two seconds Harry climbed on through. Once he saw them, he walked over to them quickly. Mia smiled at him while Ron held up a finger.

"Don't talk to me for a moment," said Ron when Harry sat down next to him, "I need to concen—"

Ron broke off at the sight of Harry's face. Mia and Hermione looked up to, and was surprised to see a worried and uncomfortable expression on his face.

"What is it Harry?" asked Hermione.

"Wood just gave us some bad news," Harry replied, speaking quietly so no one else could hear them. "He just told us that Snape is going to referee our next match."

"What?" said Mia and Hermione.

"Why would he want to referee the match?" asked Ron in disbelief.

"The team thinks that he just wants to stop us from beating Slytherin for the Cup," said Harry. "But I think it might be another try to get at me during the match."

"Don't play," said Mia at once.

"Say you're ill," said Ron.

"Pretend to break your leg," Hermione suggested.

"_Really_ break your leg," said Ron.

"Ron!" said Mia, throwing him a sharp glare.

"I can't," said Harry, shaking his head. "There isn't a reserve Seeker. If I back out, Gryffindor can't play at all."

"Harry, I think your life might be just a little more important than a Quidditch game," said Mia seriously. Before Harry could say anything, everyone's attention turned to a noise coming from the entrance to the common room, where Neville literally came hopping inside. How he had managed to climb through the portrait hole was anyone's guess, because his legs had been stuck together with what they recognized at once as the Leg-Locker Curse. He must have had to bunny hop all the way up to Gryffindor tower. As he entered, his foot got caught on the carpet and he tumbled over, falling flat on his face. Everyone in the common room burst out laughing except for Hermione and Mia, who instantly leapt up and performed the counter curse.

"What happened Neville?" Mia asked gently as she helped him to his feet.

"Malfoy," said Neville shakily. "I met him outside the library. He said he'd been looking for someone to practice that on."

"Go to Professor McGonagall!" Hermione urged Neville. "Report him!"

"I don't want more trouble," he mumbled.

"You've got to stand up to him, Neville!" said Ron. "He's used to walking all over people, but that's no reason to lie down in front of him and make it easier."

"There's no need to tell me I'm not brave enough to be in Gryffindor, Malfoy's already done that," Neville choked out.

"That's not true," said Mia. "Don't listen to that foul git Neville, he just takes pleasure making everyone else miserable. You are brave, you just need a bit more confidence in yourself. And don't ever think you're worthless because you're not, you're one of the top students in Herbology! That class takes real talent, which you certainly have. You just have to believe you can do it, and it'll come easy to you."

"Mia's right Neville," said Harry as he fished out a chocolate frog from his pocket and gave it to the distraught young boy. "You're worth twelve of Malfoy. The Sorting Hat chose you for Gryffindor, didn't it? And where's Malfoy? In stinking Slytherin."

"Thanks guys," Neville murmured softly, his lips twitching into a small smile. "That really means a lot to me. I think I'll go to bed… do you want the card, Harry? You collect them, don't you?"

Harry accepted the card while Neville shuffled away towards the boy's staircase, nibbling on his frog as he went. Mia stared sadly after him, feeling sorry for her fellow Gryffindor. He really didn't deserve to be treated the way he is, or to be bullied constantly. She hoped Neville listened to them when they said he wasn't worthless.

"Dumbledore again," Harry said, staring at the back of the card. "He was the first one I ever —"

Harry suddenly gasped loudly, and Mia quickly turned to look at him. He was staring at the card with a mix of shock, disbelief and triumph on his face. After a few seconds he looked up at them, his eyes wide.

"I've found him!" he whispered. "I've found Flamel!"

"What?!" said Mia, her mouth dropping open. "Where-how-"

"It on the card!" Harry said. "I told you I'd read the name somewhere before, I read it on the train coming here — listen to this: _'Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel'!" _

"You've got to be kidding!" Ron exclaimed in a whisper, half irritated and half relieved. "After all that time in the library going through thousands of books, it was on the back of a chocolate frog card this whole time?!"

"How in the world could we have missed him though?" asked Mia, completely aghast. "We must have looked in the alchemy section a dozen times!"

At Mia's words, Hermione suddenly jumped to her feet, her face beaming with excitement.

"Stay there!" she said, and she sprinted up the stairs to the girls' dormitories, leaving the three of them dumbfounded. They barely had time to exchange mystified looks before she was dashing back, an enormous old book clutched tightly in her arms.

"I never thought to look in here!" she whispered. "I got this out of the library weeks ago for a bit of light reading."

"_Light?_" said Ron incredulously, but Hermione just snapped at him to be quiet and started flicking frantically through the pages, muttering to herself. This went on for about a minute before her eyes widened and her lips broke into a grin.

"I knew it! I knew it!"

"Are we allowed to speak yet?" said Ron grumpily.

"Nicolas Flamel is the only known maker of the Sorcerer's Stone!" said Hermione. Mia gasped at this discovery, hardly daring to believe it. Fluffy was guarding a Sorcerer's Stone? No wonder Snape wanted it so badly! That stone is worth millions! While Mia gaped at Hermione, Ron and Harry just looked at each other with blank looks.

"The what?" they said in unison.

"Oh, honestly, don't you two read?" Hermione huffed in annoyance. "Look – read that, there."

She pushed the book towards them, and Mia leaned over Harry's shoulder so she could read along with them.

_The ancient study of alchemy is concerned with making the Philosopher's Stone, a legendary substance with astonishing powers. The stone will transform any metal into pure gold. It also produces the Elixir of Life, which will make the drinker immortal._

_There have been many reports of the Philosopher's Stone over the centuries, but the only Stone currently in existence belongs to Mr. Nicolas Flamel, the noted alchemist and opera lover. Mr. Flamel, who celebrated his six hundred and sixty-fifth birthday last year, enjoys a quiet life in Devon with his wife, Perenelle (six hundred and fifty-eight). _

"See?" said Hermione. "The dog must be guarding Flamel's Sorcerer's Stone! I bet he asked Dumbledore to keep it safe for him, because they're friends and he knew someone was after it, that's why he wanted the Stone moved out of Gringotts!"

"A stone that makes gold and stops you from ever dying!" said Harry. "No wonder Snape's after it! Anyone would want it."

"And no wonder we couldn't find Flamel in that _Study of Recent Developments in Wizardry_," said Ron. "He's not exactly recent if he's six hundred and sixty-five, is he?"

"I suppose not," said Mia, still overwhelmed with what they had just discovered. "This is insane. I can't believe Snape would be stupid enough to try to steal the Stone. He's asking for a death wish."

"What are you talking about Mia?" asked Harry.

"Come on, you guys don't think that Fluffy is the only thing guarding the Stone, do you?" said Mia. "For something so valuable, I'm betting there are other enchantments protecting it, especially if Flamel is worried that someone was after it. Who know what could be under that trapdoor."

"She has a point," added Ron thoughtfully. "If it was my stone, I wouldn't want anyone going near it."

"But there might be the possibility that Snape knows how to get past the enchantments," said Hermione, biting her lip.

"He can't, or he would have stolen the Stone long before know," said Harry reasonably. "So what's he waiting for?"

Neither of them had an answer for that, and they sat talking about it until it was time for them to head upstairs for bed.

In the days that followed, Mia's nerves were at their breaking point, what with worrying about Snape getting a hold of the Sorcerer's Stone, and possibly harming Harry at the upcoming Quidditch match. That, and the final exams were not that far away, and so she and Hermione already started studying, though she wasn't nearly as thorough as Hermione. She was starting to scan through every book as if the exams were tomorrow, and Mia was trying her best to calm the bushy-haired girl down before she gave herself a panic attack.

Unbeknownst to the others, Mia was keeping an eye on Snape in class and out. The way he glared at Harry and picked on him more than usual in Potions made her angry and nervous. It got to a point where she tried to stick to Harry as much as possible, never giving him the chance of being alone with the greasy bat on the loose in the corridors. She wasn't about to let him lay a single finger on Harry if she could help it.

Before she knew it, the day of the game had arrived, and she couldn't deny the anxiety she felt as she accompanied Harry down to the locker rooms with Ron and Hermione on their way to the field. After giving him a hug and wishing him good luck, she went up into the stands with the other two, hoping to get decent seats. As soon as they sat down, Mia did a quick scan of the field, fingering her wand that was hidden inside the sleeve of her robes. Little did Harry know that all three of his friends had brought their wands with them to the match. They had been secretly practicing the Leg-Locker Curse, and intended to use it on Snape if he showed any signs of hurting Harry.

"Now don't forget, it's _Locomotor Mortis,_" Hermione muttered to them.

"I know!" Ron snapped. "Don't nag."

"Knock it off!" Mia said to them. "The match is going to start any minute."

And indeed, not three minutes later, the crowd cheered as the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff teams walked out onto the field, with Snape not far behind them. It could have been her imagination, but Snape was looking particularly nasty, like he was angry at something.

"I've never seen Snape look so mean," she heard Ron say. "Look — they're off. Ouch!"

Mia turned around to see Ron rubbing his head, and a smug looking Malfoy sitting behind him. Mia scowled at him. She was _really _not in the mood for this kid right now.

"Oh, sorry Weasley, didn't see you there," Malfoy said, grinning broadly at Crabbe and Goyle, who were sitting next to him. "Wonder how long Potter's going to stay on his broom this time? Anyone want a bet? What about you, Weasley?"

Ron clenched his teeth but didn't answer; Snape had just awarded Hufflepuff a penalty because George Weasley had hit a Bludger at him. Mia cheered at this, clapping loudly, and laughing at the half bow George gave her before returning to the game at hand. But Mia didn't pay too much attention to anything else besides Harry, who was circling high above them, keeping an eye out for the Snitch. She hoped he would find it soon, that way they could end the game and he would be safe.

"You know how I think they choose people for the Gryffindor team?" said Malfoy loudly a few minutes later as Snape awarded Hufflepuff another penalty for no reason at all. "It's people they feel sorry for. See, there's Potter, who's got no parents, then there's the Weasleys, who've got no money — you should be on the team, Longbottom, you've got no brains."

"How dare you!" screeched Mia, whipping around in her seat to glare at the smirking blonde. "Don't you dare insult my friends! At least they've got talent, more than I can say for a pompous, Mama's boy like you!"

"Longbottom have talent?" snorted Malfoy. "The day that'll happen is the day the Weasleys will win the lottery."

Mia's eyes narrowed, but before she could say anything, Neville, who was beet red, turned to face the Slytherins.

"I'm worth twelve of you, Malfoy," he muttered, loud enough for them to hear him. Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle howled with laughter, but Mia positively beamed at him while Ron, still not daring to take his eyes from the game, said, "You tell him, Neville."

"Longbottom, if brains were gold you'd be poorer than Weasley, and that's saying something," said Malfoy as he wiped his eyes. Mia saw Ron clench his fists.

"I'm warning you, Malfoy—one more word—"

"Ron, Mia!" said Hermione suddenly, "Harry—"

"What? Where?" Mia yelped, turning her attention back to the game and ignoring Malfoy. Harry had suddenly gone into a spectacular dive, which drew gasps and cheers from the crowd. Hermione stood up, her crossed fingers in her mouth, as Harry streaked toward the ground like a bullet. Mia held her breath, leaning up against the railing with wide eyes.

"You're in luck, Weasley, Potter's obviously spotted some money on the ground!" said Malfoy.

That was the last straw for Ron. Before anyone knew what was happening, he leapt over his seat and tackled Malfoy to the ground and started beating every inch of him he could find. Neville hesitated for a moment before clamoring over his seat to help. Usually Mia would have joined in but she was too busy watching Harry.

"Come on, Harry!" Hermione screamed, leaping onto her seat to watch as Harry sped straight at Snape — neither she nor Mia noticed Malfoy and Ron rolling around under their seats, or the scuffles and yelps coming from the whirl of fists that was Neville, Crabbe, and Goyle. Up in the air, Snape turned on his broomstick just in time to see something scarlet shoot past him, missing him by inches — the next second, Harry had pulled out of the dive, his arm raised in triumph, the Snitch clasped in his hand. The stadium exploded in cheers and hollers of delight as everyone on the team raced towards Harry and captured him in a group hug. Mia yelled loudly, jumping up and down while Hermione grabbed Parvati in a fierce hug. Mia looked over to where Ron and Malfoy were still rolling around and she rolled her eyes at them. _Oh for God's sake! _She climbed behind the seats her and Hermione were sitting in, and stooped down to the two boys. With surprising force, Mia pulled Ron off of Malfoy and pulled him back.

"I think you showed him enough Ron," she said with a smirk. Leaving Malfoy on the ground, Ron and Mia grabbed Hermione and then the three of them hastily made their way out onto the field to congratulate the team. They forced their way to the front, where Wood was holding Harry's hand up in the air, a look of pure euphoria on his face. Mia and Hermione took turns giving Harry hugs while Ron gave him a pat on the back.

It was a great time for Gryffindor, because they were now ahead of Slytherin for the House Cup. After the game, Harry went to go change in the locker rooms while Mia, Ron and Hermione went back up to the school. Ron had gotten a bloody nose from his brawl with Malfoy, and Neville had apparently been knocked out cold, and was taken to the hospital wing. Despite his protests, Mia and Hermione all but dragged Ron there as well to get him checked out and to also check on Neville. They didn't have to stay very long, since Madame Pomfrey fixed Ron's nosebleed with a flick of her wand, and once they were assured that Neville would be okay, they started making their way up to the Gryffindor common room, where they were sure Fred and George were throwing a party to celebrate Gryffindor's victory.

"I can't believe we won!" Mia gushed, skipping a little as they walked down the corridor.

"It's brilliant!" Ron agreed with a grin. "Now we're in the lead for the House Cup! We sure showed those slimy snakes who's boss."

"Harry played wonderfully today," said Hermione, nodding. "The game barely even lasted five minutes."

"Fred and George say Harry's the best player they've ever had," said Ron. "I hope I'll be able to make the team too sometime."

"I'm sure you will Ron," said Mia. "Harry wouldn't mind helping you practice, and just think, with the two of you on the team you'll be unstoppable!"

Ron blushed the famous Weasley red, but he still smiled in appreciation and thanked her. While they continued walking down the corridor, they heard the sound of running footsteps from behind them, and then they turned around and saw Harry hurrying towards them, looking out of breath with his Nimbus over his shoulder.

"Harry, where have you been?" Hermione said.

"We won! You won! We won!" shouted Ron, thumping Harry on the back. "And I gave Malfoy a black eye, and Neville tried to take on Crabbe and Goyle single-handed! He's still out cold but Madam Pomfrey says he'll be all right. Talk about showing Slytherin! Everyone's waiting for you in the common room, we're having a party, Fred and George stole some cakes and stuff from the kitchens."

"Never mind that now," said Harry breathlessly. "Let's find an empty room, you wait 'til you hear this…"

Harry pulled them into the closest classroom and made sure no one was in there before ushering them inside, quietly closing the door behind him. Speaking in hushed tones, Harry told them how he had spotted Snape wandering around by the Forbidden Forest and followed him on his broom. Apparently Snape was meeting up with Quirrell, who seemed utterly terrified while Snape was trying to force something out of him. By what Harry was telling them, Snape was trying to force Quirrell to tell him how to get past Fluffy. After that Snape left and Harry had come right back afterwards.

"So we were right, it is the Sorcerer's Stone, and Snape's trying to force Quirrell to help him get it," said Harry. "He asked if he knew how to get past Fluffy — and he said something about Quirrell's 'hocus pocus' — I reckon Mia was right, and there are other things guarding the stone apart from Fluffy, loads of enchantments, probably, and Quirrell would have done some anti-Dark Arts spell that Snape needs to break through —"

"So you mean the Stone's only safe as long as Quirrell stands up to Snape?" said Hermione in alarm.

"It'll be gone by next Tuesday," said Ron.

"I wouldn't even give it that long," said Mia. "But what's going to happen when Quirrell finally cracks? What if Snape does get the Stone?"

The four of them fell silent at this, lost in their own thoughts. Snape was already bad enough, but if he had the power of wealth and immortality…Mia couldn't help but shudder just thinking about it.

**So what do you think? Like it? Hate it? Please review! **


	17. The Snake and the Dragon

**Phew, this chapter if finally done! I just spent the last couple hours on this, and I must say I think it turned out pretty good! Just a warning, I did change one thing when it comes to what originally happened in the book, and if it displeases some of you, my apologies, but just trust me on this. ;) I really hope you guys like this, and you know what to do when you're done…review! **** Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Just so you know, a little bit of me dies each time I write this. All things Harry Potter are not mine. **

Chapter Sixteen: The Snake and the Dragon

MPOV

To everyone's surprise, Quirrell proved to be braver tougher than they originally thought. Ever since Harry had overheard Snape and Quirrell talking in the Forbidden Forest, they had been watching the Defense teacher with a wary eye, waiting to see if he had spilled out his guts. While he did look more pale and thin, it appeared he hadn't given in to Snape yet. Despite his teaching skills and fear for everything around him, Mia had to admit that she admired Quirrell's bravery. She put in a little more effort in his classes, and whenever she and the others passed him in the hall, they gave him an encouraging smile. Also, they took to pressing their ears against the door to the third floor corridor every time they walked past, just to make sure they could still her Fluffy on the other side. They were thankful that the Stone was still safe, but they all knew it was only a matter of time before Snape somehow found out how to get past Quirrell's protection spell.

Despite all this, it finally appeared that Hermione wasn't the only one who was starting to feel the need to study for the final exams. Every day more and more people were starting to take refuge in the library, and spend less and less time goofing off. Mia herself was starting to look to the books more often than usual, not wanting to take any chances with last minute studying. Both she and Hermione had started drawing up study schedules and color coding all their notes. They spent a good three or four hours studying each night in the common room, and while Mia was taking it all at a steady pace, Hermione was starting to become frantic. She even made schedules for Ron and Harry too, neither of which were too thrilled about. During the times in which they all studies together, Ron and Hermione usually paired up while Mia did with Harry. Mia was proud to say that Harry was getting through much better with his studies than he ever did at Privet Drive, where he always had to pretend he was even more stupid than Dudley, which Mia thought was impossible. At Hogwarts, Harry was free to do his work to the best of his abilities, and he received very good marks on nearly everything.

The cold and chilly days of winter had finally started to disappear, and the sun was beginning to peek through the clouds and shine through the windows of the castle. It was on one of these beautiful and sunny days that Mia, Ron, Harry and Hermione were cooped up in the library, pouring over thick volumes to review their notes for what must have been the sixth time that day. Mia was reading over the more advanced strategies of defensive spells and glancing over at the clear blue sky through the window every now and then, wishing more than anything that they could go outside and enjoy the warm weather.

"I'll never remember this," Ron burst out, throwing down his quill and looking longingly out of the library window as well.

"Yes you will Ron," said Mia, turning back to her book. "You just need to focus."

"That's all I've been doing! My brain's nearly fried from all that research on Flamel, and going through mounds of books again is not really what I had in mind for its recovery."

"Relax Ron, it's not the end of the world," said Mia. "Once the exams are done, we can all go out for a swim in the lake."

"I'm holding you to that," Ron grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest and looking out towards the window again. "Hagrid! What are you doing in the library?"

Mia looked up from her book to see Hagrid shuffling into view from behind one of the bookcases, holding something behind his back and shifting his feet around in a nervous manner.

"Jus' lookin'," he said. "An' what're you lot up ter? Yer not still lookin' fer Nicolas Flamel, are yeh?"

"Oh, we found out who he is ages ago," said Ron. "And we know what that dog's guarding, it's a Sorcerer's St—"

"Shhhh!" Hagrid said, looking around quickly to see if anyone was listening. "Don' go shoutin' about it, what's the matter with yeh?"

"There are a few things we wanted to ask you, as a matter of fact," said Harry. "About what's guarding the Stone apart from Fluffy —"

"SHHHH!" said Hagrid again while Mia clamped her hand over Harry's mouth.

"Sure, just let the entire school know why don't you!" she hissed, glaring at both him and Ron.

"Listen — come an' see me later," Hagrid whispered. "I'm not promisin' I'll tell yeh anythin', mind, but don' go rabbitin' about it in here, students aren' s'pposed ter know. They'll think I've told yeh —"

"Okay Hagrid," said Mia as she removed her hand from Harry's mouth. "We'll see you later."

As Hagrid walked away, Mia shared a look with the others.

What was he hiding behind his back?" said Hermione thoughtfully. "Do you think it had anything to do with the Stone?

"I'm going to see what section he was in," said Ron. He stood up from the table and left to where he had seen Hagrid. He came back a minute later with a pile of books in his arms and slammed them down on the table.

"Dragons!" he whispered. "Hagrid was looking up stuff about dragons! Look at these: _Dragon Species of Great Britain and Ireland; From Egg to Inferno, A Dragon Keeper's Guide._ "

"Why would Hagrid be looking at books on Dragons?" asked Hermione. Mia was thinking the same thing, only it that wasn't what worried her. From the sound of the books Ron had found, it didn't seem as if Hagrid was reading _about _Dragons. Rather, he was reading on how to _raise _one.

"Hagrid's always wanted a dragon, he told me so the first time I ever met him, " said Harry.

"But it's against our laws," said Ron. "Dragon breeding was outlawed by the Warlocks' Convention of 1709, everyone knows that. It's hard to stop Muggles from noticing us if we're keeping dragons in the back garden — anyway, you can't tame dragons, it's dangerous. You should see the burns Charlie's got off wild ones in Romania."

"But there aren't wild dragons in Britain?" asked Harry.

"Of course there are," said Ron. "Common Welsh Green and Hebridean Blacks. The Ministry of Magic has a job hushing them up, I can tell you. Our kind have to keep putting spells on Muggles who've spotted them, to make them forget."

"So what on earth's Hagrid up to?" said Hermione.

"I have an idea, but it's completely mad," said Mia, biting her lip.

"What is it?" said Ron.

"Well, based on the books you found, it looked as if Hagrid was researching on how to _raise_ Dragons instead of researching about them."

"Don't be ridiculous Mia," said Hermione, but with a nervous laugh. "Hagrid wouldn't bring a real Dragon to Hogwarts…would he?"

"I guess there's only one way to find out," said Harry. "We'll ask him about it when we see him."

The four of them stayed in the library for about another hour before they decided to pack up all their things and head out to see Hagrid. They hurriedly walked down the staircase and out onto the grounds, with Mia taking a deep breath, relishing the lovely warm air. When they reached Hagrid's Hut, they knocked on the door, and after calling out to Hagrid that it was them, he ushered them inside and shut the door behind them. The first thing Mia noticed was that it was terribly hot inside, like she had stepped into a life-sized oven. Fang the boarhound let out a happy bark at seeing so many people and rushed over to them, pouncing up on Ron and slobbering all over him.

"Ugh, Fang!" he groaned as he pushed the dog off of him.

"Hi there boy," Mia cooed as she scratched Fang's ears.

"So — yeh wanted to ask me somethin'?" said Hagrid.

"Yes," said Harry. "We were wondering if you could tell us what's guarding the Sorcerer's Stone apart from Fluffy."

"O' course I can't," he said with a frown. "Number one, I don' know meself. Number two, yeh know too much already, so I wouldn' tell yeh if I could. That Stone's here fer a good reason. It was almost stolen outta Gringotts — I s'ppose yeh've worked that out an' all? Beats me how yeh even know abou' Fluffy."

"Oh, come on, Hagrid, you might not want to tell us, but you do know, you know everything that goes on round here," said Hermione in a warm, flattering voice. "We only wondered who had done the guarding, really. We wondered who Dumbledore had trusted enough to help him, apart from you."

Hagrid's beard twitched into a smile, and his chest swelled at these last words. Harry and Ron beamed at Hermione while Mia leaned over and whispered, "Nice one Mione!"

"Well, I don' s'pose it could hurt ter tell yeh that… let's see… he borrowed Fluffy from me… then some o' the teachers did enchantments… Professor Sprout—Professor Flitwick—Professor McGonagall—Professor Quirrell—an' Dumbledore himself did somethin', o' course. Hang on, I've forgotten someone. Oh yeah, Professor Snape."

_"__Snape?" _spluttered Mia.

"Yeah — yer not still on abou' that, are yeh? Look, Snape helped protect the Stone, he's not about ter steal it," said Hagrid. Mia looked at the others, knowing they were thinking along the same lines as her. If Snape had been in on protecting the Stone, he probably already knew all the other enchantment the teachers have set up. All except for Quirrell's Anti-Dark spell and how to get past Fluffy. Mia suddenly felt a sense of foreboding, and a feeling of worry crept into her heart, so intense it made her shiver despite the hot temperature in the hut. It would be very bad if Snape did get a hold of the Stone, but Mia had a terrible feeling deep down that, somehow, they were missing something very important, and it could make all the difference.

"You're the only one who knows how to get past Fluffy, aren't you, Hagrid?" said Harry anxiously. "And you wouldn't tell anyone, would you? Not even one of the teachers?"

"Not a soul knows except me an' Dumbledore," said Hagrid proudly.

"Well, that's something," Harry muttered to the others. "Hagrid, can we have a window open? I'm boiling."

"Can't, Harry, sorry," said Hagrid, looking over at the fireplace. Following his gaze, Mia and the others looked into the flickering flames to see something nestled in its warm embrace. Squinting her eyes, Mia could see something huge, oval shaped, and coal black. Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. No, it couldn't be…

"Hagrid, what is that?" asked Harry.

"Ah," said Hagrid, fiddling nervously with his beard, "That's — er…"

"Hagrid," breathed Mia. "Is that a Dragon egg?"

"Where did you get it, Hagrid?" said Ron, crouching over the fire to get a closer look. "It must've cost you a fortune."

"Won it," said Hagrid. "Las' night. I was down in the village havin' a few drinks an' got into a game o' cards with a stranger. Think he was quite glad ter get rid of it, ter be honest."

"But what are you going to do with it when it's hatched?" said Hermione.

"Well, I've bin doin' some readin'," said Hagrid, pulling a large book from under his pillow. "Got this outta the library—_Dragon Breeding for Pleasure and Profit_ — it's a bit outta date, o' course, but it's all in here. Keep the egg in the fire, 'cause their mothers breathe on I em, see, an' when it hatches, feed it on a bucket o' brandy mixed with chicken blood every half hour. An' see here — how ter recognize diff'rent eggs — what I got there's a Norwegian Ridgeback. They're rare, them."

"But they're also the most dangerous!" said Mia in a squeaky voice. "Hagrid, it's not easy to tame Dragons and they grow at incredible speed!"

"Don' worry too much Mia," Hagrid assured her. "I've got everythin' set up fer when it hatches, an' it should be easy if it learns at an early age, see."

"Hagrid, you live in a _wooden house_," Hermione pointed out, but Hagrid wasn't listening. He was bent over the fire, humming merrily as he added more wood. Mia closed her eyes and thumped her head against the table. As if they hadn't had enough to worry about, now they have to be concerned about Hagrid having an illegal Norwegian Ridgeback Dragon in his house. If anyone ever found out, Hagrid could lose his job. Or even worse, go to jail.

_Life's just full of wonderful surprises, isn't it? _Mia thought miserably to herself. Desperate to escape the scalding heart, Mia and the others only stayed for about ten more minutes before heading back up to the school.

The next day in Charms class, Professor Flitwick assigned them with the simple task of charming their parchment into miniature animals that made the appropriate noises. The tiny little professor smiled when he walked by Harry's table where he and Ron were working in front of Mia and Hermione.

"Good work Mr. Potter," said Professor Flitwick as he watched Harry's paper Elephant blow from its trunk. "I see you've been practicing. Keep up the good work, and you'll be just as brilliant as your mother was. She was rather excellent at Charms herself."

Harry blushed a little at this praise, but Mia's head suddenly snapped up, and she stared at Professor Flitwick with wide, glowing eyes, a smile stretching across her face as she remembered what her and Harry were talking about before leaving for the Christmas holidays. Did Professor Flitwick know Harry's mother? Did he teach her, or Harry's father? An idea started blossoming in her head, and she felt herself filling with excitement as the class period continued on. Mia knew Harry didn't have any pictures of his parents. Before they found the Mirror of Erised, he had no idea what they even looked like. Maybe she could ask around, see if any of their professors had any old photos they could give her. Maybe she could make an album out of it! That would be perfect! She couldn't help but grin at the back of Harry's head, nearly jumping in her seat from her enthusiasm. She wasn't going to tell Harry, she was going to make it a surprise for him. But how else can she get her hands on the pictures? Mia knew she couldn't do this on her own, she needed help. Perhaps Hagrid wouldn't mind helping her out. He must have been at Hogwarts while Lily and James Potter were, maybe he knows some of their old school friends. It was worth a shot.

As soon as the bell dismissed them, Mia took her time gathering all of her things, and she told Harry, Ron and Hermione that she would catch up with them later. After exchanging puzzled looks, they finally agreed and left the classroom as Mia walked up to the teacher's desk.

"Miss Thatcher, what can I do for you?" asked Professor Flitwick as she approached.

"Sir, I know this sounds a little odd, but did you know Harry's mother well?" said Mia. Professor Flitwick looked taken aback for a moment, but then he smiled at her from where he sat, his eyes glazing over with a sad emotion.

"Well, I can't say I knew her as well as others," he said. "But I knew her well enough to miss her very much when she was gone. Lily Evans was such a talented witch, one of the brightest in her year, and the kindest woman you would ever meet. She was one of my very best students. Why do you ask?"

"Well, I'm working on something for Harry, and I was wondering if you had any pictures of his mother or father? He doesn't really have any and I was hoping to make an album for him."

"I think that's a fantastic idea my dear!" Professor Flitwick beamed, clapping his hands together. "I would be more than happy to assist you. I don't have any photos with me, but I'm sure I have some in my living quarters. Remind me next class and I will give them to you then."

"Great! Thank you so much, Sir!" said Mia happily. She eagerly shook the man's hand before running off to join the others in their next class.

All throughout the day, Mia had secretly met with the teachers, more particularly the older ones, asking them for photos of Lily and James Potter. She did have a couple dead ends, but there were others who were just as willing to help as Professor Flitwick. Professor McGonagall actually smiled at Mia's request, rummaging through one of her drawers and pulling out a thin album of her own, quickly skimming through until she found the one she was looking for. She pulled it out of the book and handed it over to Mia. In the picture was a very young James Potter with his arms wrapped around a smiling Lily Potter, both wearing what appeared to be graduation robes. They were both waving at the camera, the sun giving their faces a lovely glow.

"You remind me of her a little, you know," Professor McGonagall said in a surprisingly soft voice. "You're both so very intelligent and so kind. I hope you find good use for this."

"Thank you Professor," said Mia, safely tucking it away in one of her books. Later on as they ate lunch in the Great Hall, Mia was even bold enough to walk up to the teacher's table, albeit shyly, and go straight to Dumbledore.

"Um, Professor Dumbledore?" she said timidly. "I'm very sorry to bother you, but I was wondering-"

Mia didn't need to say any more as the elderly man smiled at her and held out an envelope to her, his blue eyes twinkling. She stared at him, completely stunned, and blushed as he chuckled.

"Professor McGonagall has informed me of what you are trying to do for Mr. Potter," he explained. "And I must say that is very thoughtful of you Miss Thatcher. I'm sure he will love it."

Mia smiled in response as she took the envelope from him and scurried back to her seat, ignoring the eyes that were following her. She sat down next to Hermione, who was staring at her along with the boys.

"Okay, what are you up to?" she asked.

"What do you mean Hermione?" said Mia with an innocent tone.

"You've been acting odd lately," said Ron bluntly. "You're up to something."

"I'm sure I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about Ron," Mia replied sweetly as she placed the envelope inside her book. She grabbed some ink and parchment out of her bag and started writing a quick note to Hagrid.

"Right, and Fred and George are perfect angels," said Ron, rolling his eyes. "Just tell us."

"Tell you what?" said Mia with a smirk. As much as she would love to tell Ron and Hermione what she was doing, she couldn't risk it with Harry being within hearing range. Just as Ron was about to retort, Mia saw something out of the corner of her eye and in the next second, her note was snatched out of her hands and she looked up, horrified as she saw Malfoy grinning down at her.

"What's this you've got, Thatcher? A secret love note?" he laughed.

"Give it back!" Mia exclaimed, jumping out of her seat and trying to snatch it back.

"Give that back to her Malfoy," said Harry as he and Ron stood up.

"Oh, but don't you want to hear who her lover is, Potter?" said Malfoy wickedly. "Pity it wasn't you. _Dear Hagrid, I know you're busy, but I need you to-"_

"Mr. Malfoy!"

Professor McGonagall came striding towards them, her eyes narrowed, and her lips pressed into a thin line.

"I do not believe that note is meant for you. Give it back to Miss Thatcher immediately, and go back to your house table," Professor McGonagall demanded, fixing him with her stern gaze. Malfoy frowned at her and reluctantly handed the note back to Mia, who was glaring daggers at the blonde boy.

"Why were you writing to Hagrid?" asked Harry, as Malfoy and McGonagall walked away.

"I'm trying to convince him to get rid of the egg before it hatches," Mia lied in a whisper. "It's going to be harder once it is."

Harry and Ron seemed to accept this answer, but Hermione gave Mia a look that all too plainly stated that she didn't believe her. Mia gave Hermione a wink, letting her know that she would explain it to her later.

A couple days later at breakfast, Mia was enjoying some waffles with strawberries when Hedwig came swooping down towards the table with a piece of paper in her beak. She flew right down to Harry, and when he took the paper from her, Mia leaned over to see that it was a note from Hagrid with only two words: _It's hatching. _Ron wanted to skip Herbology and go straight down to the hut, but Hermione wouldn't hear of it. They continued to argue about all the way out of the hall and down the front lawns.

"Hermione, how many times in our lives are we going to see a dragon hatching?" said Ron.

"We've got lessons, we'll get into trouble, and that's nothing to what Hagrid's going to be in when someone finds out what he's doing—"

"Shut up!" Harry whispered, looking over their shoulders. Malfoy was only a few feet away and he had stopped dead to listen. How much had he heard? Harry didn't like the look on Malfoy's face at all. Mia tried her best to give him her fiercest glare, but she was still worried. Did he hear about the Dragon? Ron and Hermione kept arguing about going down to see Hagrid all the way to class, and it wasn't until they reached the greenhouse that Hermione finally gave in, but only if they went during morning break. Herbology seemed to go by rather slowly, but once it was over, Mia, Harry, Ron, and Hermione quickly wiped the dirt off of their robes and hurried across the grounds down to Hagrid's Hut. They hastily knocked on the door, and Hagrid soon opened it, looking flushed and excited as he let them in.

"It's nearly out," he whispered as he led them inside. The egg was lying on the table, and there were already deep cracks in it. Something was moving inside; a funny clicking noise was coming from it. Mia took a seat at the table with the others, watching as the egg started to squirm, creating more cracks on the surface. All at once there was a scraping noise and the egg split open, sending bits of shell all around them. The baby dragon flopped onto the table and Mia just stared at it. While it wasn't exactly pretty, with its spiny wings, long snout with wide nostrils, and stubby little horns, its eyes were a piercing orange color. They all just sat there, staring at it while it sneezed, a couple of sparks flying out of its snout.

"Isn't he beautiful?" Hagrid murmured. He reached out a hand to stroke the dragon's head. It snapped at his fingers, showing pointed fangs.

"Bless him, look, he knows his mummy!" Hagrid said happily, his black eyes shining with glee.

"Hagrid," said Hermione slowly. "How fast do Norwegian Ridgebacks grow, exactly?"

Hagrid was about to answer when the color suddenly drained from his face, his eyes growing wide. He leapt to his feet and ran to the window, peering outside.

"Hagrid? Hagrid, what it is?" said Mia.

"Someone was lookin' through the gap in the curtains — it's a kid — he's runnin' back up ter the school…" said Hagrid in a shaky voice. Both Harry and Mia bolted to the front door and threw it open, looking out across the grounds. Even at a distance there was no mistaking him.

Malfoy had seen the dragon.

"Oh let me at him!" said Mia as she started walking down the steps, wand in hand. Harry quickly grabbed her arm, forcing her to stay back.

"Mia, there's nothing we can do!" said Harry. "He's already seen it."

"Come on Harry!" said Mia as she struggled. "One Tongue-Knotting Curse and he won't be able to talk at all! This of the days of bliss we'll have!"

"As tempting as that sounds, it won't do us much good," Harry countered. "He's already up at the school."

Mia groaned loudly. She _really _hated Draco Malfoy right now.

…

Something about the smile lurking on Malfoy's face during the next week made Mia, Harry, Ron, and Hermione very nervous. Mia was trying to convince her friends to let her do the curse before he had the chance to tell, but they quickly shot the idea down, saying it would give him all the more reason to tell someone sooner about what he had seen. Mia hated the fact that Malfoy had this information to use against them, and she spent most of her free time with the others trying to talk Hagrid into letting the baby Dragon go. Hagrid wouldn't hear of it, claiming that he couldn't set the baby free while it was still so young, or it would die within days. To top it all off, the Dragon was already starting to grow at an incredible speed, looking three times longer than it did a week ago. Mia was greatly worried by this, know that soon enough, the Dragon was going to be able to breath fire at will any day now.

"I've decided to call him Norbert," said Hagrid one day while they were visiting. "He really knows me now, watch. Norbert! Norbert! Where's Mummy?"

"He's lost his marbles," Ron muttered in Mia's ear.

"Hagrid," said Harry. "Give it two weeks and Norbert's going to be as long as your house. Malfoy could go to Dumbledore at any moment."

"I — I know I can't keep him forever, but I can't jus' dump him, I can't," said Hagrid sadly, biting his lip. Mia couldn't help but feel a little sorry for Hagrid. She could tell that he loved Norbert, but Harry was right. Norbert was growing way too fast, and he'll eventually start getting hungry for some real meat. She reached over and gently patted Hagrid on the arm.

"Hagrid, I know you care for Norbert, but it's going to be dangerous if we keep him any longer," she said, trying to soothing him and be reasonable at the same time. "If Malfoy tells somebody, they'll take Norbert away. Wouldn't you rather see him in the wild with his own kind?"

"I-I suppos'," the gamekeeper muttered, his eyes turning glassy. "He's still too young though."

Just then, Harry suddenly turned to Ron, looking like a light bulb just went off in his head.

"Charlie," he said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"You're losing it, too," said Ron. "I'm Ron, remember?"

"No—Charlie—your brother, Charlie. In Romania, studying dragons," said Harry as Mia snickered at Ron. "We could send Norbert to him. Charlie can take care of him and then put him back in the wild!"

"Brilliant!" said Ron. "How about it, Hagrid?"

It took a little time, but they were able to convince Hagrid to let them owl Ron's brother to see what he could do about the Dragon. They stayed with Hagrid for a little while longer until it was time for them to go back up to the school. As they were leaving, Hagrid quickly pulled Mia to the side.

"I got yer letter Mia," he whispered, a small smile twitching underneath his beard. "O' course I'll help yeh make the album. Already sent some letters to people askin' fer some photos."

"Thanks Hagrid, you're the best!" Mia whispered, giving Hagrid a tight hug around the waist before running off to catch up with her friends. The minute they got back to the common room, Ron wrote a letter to Charlie explaining their situation, asking if he could help. Harry let him use Hedwig to deliver the letter, and once the owl was out of sight, they had nothing to do but wait for a reply.

A week passed by, and they still hadn't heard from Charlie. In the meantime, Mia, Harry, Ron and Hermione would take turns helping Hagrid out with Norbert, who was still continuing to grow at a rapid rate, and was easily becoming more restless. Mia also took to glaring at Malfoy whenever they passed, trying her best to possibly scare him into keeping his mouth shut, but all he did was smirk smugly in return. She prayed that Charlie would get back to them soon, she didn't know how long they would be able to keep Norbert a secret. It was now Wednesday night, and Mia was walking along the corridors at midnight with Ron, the two of them under Harry's invisibility cloak. Ron was hissing in pain while Mia was cradling her arm close to her chest, her lips pressed together so as not to make a sound. That night they had been helping Hagrid feed Norbert dead rats, but at one point he bite Ron on his finger, but not before accidently burning Mia's arm. It wasn't very serious, but it still hurt, and Mia was doing her best not to cry. They soon made it up to the common room, where they saw Harry and Hermione waiting up for them.

"It bit me!" said Ron as he threw the cloak off of them, showing his finger wrapped in a bloody handkerchief. "And it burned Mia!"

"What?" Hermione gasped as she and Harry rushed forward to inspect their injuries. Hermione made Mia move her hand away and gently rolled up the sleeve of her robes to see how bad it was.

"It doesn't look too bad, but I'm not sure," Hermione said, biting her lip. "I only have a balm to help with the pain, but not to heal it. You two need to go to Madame Pomfrey."

"We can't," Mia said, shaking her head. "Then she'll find out about Norbert."

"Mia, you and Ron are really hurt, we can't do nothing!" Harry argued.

"This is bloody ridiculous!" Ron grumbled. "I'm not going to be able to hold a quill for a week. I tell you, that dragon's the most horrible animal I've ever met, but the way Hagrid goes on about it, you'd think it was a fluffy little bunny rabbit. When it bit me he told me off for frightening it. And when we left, he was singing it a lullaby."

Before anyone could say anything, there was a sharp tapping noise coming from the window to their left.

"It's Hedwig!" said Harry, hurrying to let her in. "She'll have Charlie's answer!"

Harry untied the letter from Hedwig's leg, gave her feathers a soft stroke, and then brought it back over to them so they could all read it together.

_Dear Ron,_

_How are you? Thanks for the letter — I'd be glad to take the Norwegian Ridgeback, but it won't be easy getting him here. I think the best thing will be to send him over with some friends of mine who are coming to visit me next week. Trouble is, they mustn't be seen carrying an illegal dragon._ _Could you get the Ridgeback up the tallest tower at midnight on Saturday? They can meet you there and take him away while it's still dark._ _Send me an answer as soon as possible._

_Love,_

_Charlie_

"Well, we've got the invisibility cloak," said Harry slowly. "It shouldn't be too difficult – I think the cloaks big enough to cover two of us and Norbert."

"And we can easily get back to bed before anyone notices," Mia added. "Let's just hope by then Malfoy still wouldn't have said anything-ow!"

Mia winced painfully as her arm stung, and she clutched it to her chest, a couple tears leaking down her face.

"That's it, tomorrow you're going to the Hospital Wing," said Harry firmly. "No arguments."

"But—"

"No buts!" Hermione cut in. "And that goes for you too Ron!"

As it turns out, Harry and Hermione didn't need to push their threats. Mia went to Madame Pomfrey the next morning with her arms in bandages, and tears in her eyes. The matron immediately placed her in the closest bed and started shoving potions down her throat. When asked what has happened, Mia told her that she was experimenting an advanced potion, and it blew up in her face. Madame Pomfrey seemed to accept this answer, and spread some soothing balm on her arms to help with the pain and make it heal. She insisted on keeping Mia for a few days until her arms was fully healed, but after much pleading from Mia, she agreed to only keep her overnight. Mia had quickly become bored by that after noon, being the only one in the hospital wing, but that soon changed when Ron came in as well, looking rather pale, and his finger twice the size it normally was, turning a sickly green color. He mumbled something about a dog bite, and Madame Pomfrey placed him in the bed next to Mia. Harry and Hermione came up to visit them at the end of the day after classes, and Harry sat down at the foot of Mia's bed while Hermione sat at Ron's.

"It's not just my hand," Ron told them, "although that feels like it's about to fall off. Malfoy was in here earlier, he told Madam Pomfrey he wanted to borrow one of my books so he could come and have a good laugh at me. He kept threatening to tell her what really bit me and what really burned Mia—I've told her it was a dog, but I don't think she believes me. I shouldn't have hit him at the Quidditch match, that's why he's doing this."

"Stupid git," Mia muttered. "I can't wait until this is all over."

"Same here. Thank goodness it'll all be over at midnight on Saturday," said Hermione. At these words, Ron shot straight up in bed, his eyes wide in horror and his face breaking out into a sweat.

"Midnight on Saturday!" he said in a hoarse voice. "Oh no, oh no—I've just remembered—Charlie's letter was in that book Malfoy took, he's going to know we're getting rid of Norbert."

"What?!" said Mia, looking panicked as well. "Oh no, what are we going to do?!"

Harry and Hermione never got to answer, for at that moment Madame Pomfrey came over and shooed them away, insisting that Mia and Ron needed rest. Once they were gone, Madame Pomfrey gave Ron and Mia some Dreamless Sleeping Potions and then left them to go back into her office. Mia could feel its effects right away, and she looked over at Ron, who seemed to be fighting off sleep.

"Malfoy knows," he slurred. "What do we do?"

"Hopefully Harry and…and Hermione will…figure it out…" Mia trailed off as her eyes fluttered closed, and she succumbed to the peaceful darkness of sleep.

…

At long last, Saturday had finally come, and it was time to get rid of Norbert. Harry and Hermione were going to be the ones to meet up with Charlie's friends, seeing as Ron was still in the hospital and Mia's arm was currently in a sling while it was healing. That night after everyone had fallen asleep, Mia met up with Harry and Hermione down in the Gryffindor common room. She gave them each a hug and bid them good luck as they slipped on the cloak and left the room silently. Mia sighed to herself as she plopped down on one of the armchairs in front of the fireplace, deciding to wait for her friends to get back before she went back up to bed. She pulled her wand out of her robes pocket and started up a nice warm fire in the grate, sinking into the chair as she watched the flickering flames. It was a little sad to know that Hagrid was losing his pet tonight, but it was what was best for all of them. Anything to get Malfoy off their backs was good enough for her.

While she waited, Mia found herself starting to doze off in the armchair, and she had to shake herself awake every time. She couldn't fall asleep! She has to be awake for Harry and Hermione when they get back. She continued watching the fire as the hours ticked by, and somehow her head ended up falling onto the arm of the chair, and she couldn't find the strength to pick it back up. After a while her eyes fluttered closed, and she was just wondering if she imagined the sound of quiet footsteps coming from the staircase before she fell asleep.

How long she slept for, she didn't know, but she suddenly jerked awake and sat up straight in the chair as she heard the portrait opening. The fire was now reduced to a soft ember, and Mia stood up from her seat to see not only Harry and Hermione coming through the entrance, but Neville as well.

"Neville?" she said, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Guys, what's going on?"

Hermione stared after Neville sadly as he shuffled off to the boy's staircase, looking close to tears, while Harry turned to Mia, looking absolutely miserable.

"We were able to get rid of Norbert," he said quietly.

"Well, that's good isn't it?" said Mia. "He's finally free and Hagrid can't get in trouble!"

"That's not all…" Harry mumbled.

"What? What happened?" said Mia. Harry didn't answer, so Hermione spoke up.

"We got caught," she said. Mia just stared at them.

"What?"

"We got caught," Hermione said again. "Filch found us while we were coming back down from the tower. We forgot the cloak. He brought us to McGonagall who was waiting with Neville. He heard that Malfoy was going to try to stop us, and was trying to warn us. Both he and Malfoy were caught, and we're all getting detentions."

"Well, I guess that's not too bad," Mia said, trying to cheer them up.

"That's not the worst part though," Hermione muttered.

"What do you mean?" asked Mia, half dreading the answer.

"McGonagall took away fifty points…fifty points each," Harry answered, staring down at the ground.

"_What?!"_

"It's true," said Hermione. "As of now, Gryffindor is in last place for the House Cup."

**Rate and Review Please! Tell me what you think!**


	18. Into the Dark

**Hello everyone. Just as a head's up, I'm not as pleased with this chapter as I am with my other ones. There's a lot of things that are very similar to the book, but I tried my best to arrange everything so it's in my own words, and not the exact words from the book. Still, I think overall this turned out pretty good, and I hope you guys feel the same. I'm sorry for any mistakes I may have made, my next class starts very soon, and I rushed a little to finish this. Tell me what you think, and I hope you guys enjoy chapter seventeen. See ya in the next chapter! **

**Disclaimer: All things Harry Potter are not mine. **

Chapter Seventeen: Into the Dark

MPOV

Mia couldn't even imagine things getting worse. After Harry and Hermione had told her they'd lost a hundred and fifty points from Gryffindor, they all headed to bed with a sense of dread in their hearts. Mia had stayed up for a long while trying to sooth and comfort Hermione, who had broken out into quiet sobs the minute she laid down in her bed. Once Mia was in her own bed, she kept thinking about what the following day would bring. Gryffindor had only just secured the House Cup, and now they were in last place. She couldn't bear to think about what would happen tomorrow when everyone found out.

By the time breakfast started the next morning, Mia's worries were only intensified as the news spread around the school. Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, and the most popular and admired student in school was now resented and hated. Everywhere they went, people from Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw glared at Harry, and shot him nasty comments. Mia had to quickly fill Ron in when he came back from the Hospital Wing, and the two of them immediately stuck by Harry's side, although they were the only ones who did. Having the entire school turned against him was definitely taking its toll on Harry, and he barely ever spoke in class anymore. Neville and Hermione were being shunned too, though not nearly as bad. Mia learned from Ron that even the Quidditch team wasn't speaking to Harry anymore, including Fred and George. Upon learning this, Mia's heart quickly weighed down with hurt and she stopped speaking to them as much as she used to. Harry instantly protested against this, not wanting Mia to stop talking to them because of him, but she waved it aside.

"They're wrong acting like this Harry, and you know it!" Mia had said angrily. "If they can't grow up and act mature than that's their fault!"

Mia wished she was older so she could hex everyone who even wrinkled their nose at her friends, but she knew nothing could be done at this point. The most she could do was be there for them in whatever way she could. This horrible isolation lasted for weeks, and Mia and the others spent much of the time studying for their exams, which were coming closer and closer every day. It was a depressing time for the four friends, and they kept to themselves for the next month or so, using their studies as a distraction.

One night, about a week before their first exam, Mia, Ron, and Hermione were sitting in the library doing work, waiting for Harry to join them. Mia was looking over her Potions ingredients while Hermione was testing Ron on Astronomy. All of a sudden they heard someone nervously clear their throat, and they all turned their heads to see Jenna standing there, shifting anxiously on her feet, her cheeks a light shade of red.

"Um…I…" she stumbled. "I'm really sorry guys. I know you all want to win the House Cup just as much as I do, and-Hermione, I know you and Harry would never have purposely risked so many points if it wasn't something important. I'm sorry it took me so long to see that, and I'm sorry for being so stupid. Will you forgive me?"

Hermione, probably glad that there was one more person who didn't hate her, stood up from her seat and grabbed Jenna into a hug.

"There's nothing to forgive, Jenna," she said as they released each other. Jenna smiled sheepishly at her before she looked apprehensively at Mia, and it seemed as if she was preparing to run if need be. Everyone knew how sensitive Mia Thatcher was about her friends at this point, seeing as how she had to have been held back a couple times from tackling someone to the ground for insulting Hermione, Neville, and Harry. Mia calmed the young girl's fears by giving her a smile.

"It's fine Jenna," she reassured her. "We'll just put this behind us. Right Ron?"

"Right," Ron agreed with a nod. "Do you want to hang with us?"

"I'm sorry, I can't, I have to get back to my common room," said Jenna. "Thank you guys, and can you please tell Harry and Neville I'm sorry?"

"Sure," Mia replied. After thanking them once more and giving them a small wave, Jenna clutched her books to her chest and scurried out of the library while Hermione sat back down in her seat.

"Well, at least Jenna came around," said Mia.

"Excellent, now we only have about two hundred or so others to go," Ron said moodily as he picked up his moon charts. "Hermione, what is the difference between lunar sand and lunar dust? It looks exactly the same!"

As Hermione went over the differences with Ron, Mia went back to her Potions book, determined to have most of it memorized by the time they needed to take their exam. A few more minutes passed before they heard footsteps coming toward their table, and Mia looked over to see Harry walking over to them.

"There you are," said Mia, moving her bag off the chair next to her so Harry could have a place to sit. "We were wondering what-Harry, what is it?"

"You guys have to listen to what I just saw," he said, taking the seat and staring at them with wide eyes and a serious face. The four of them leaned their heads in while Harry told them of how he overheard Professor Quirrell in an empty classroom, sobbing. Harry said that from what he heard, it sounded as though someone was threatening him, and he was sure it was Snape, trying to force Quirrell to tell him how to get past his enchantment. It seemed as though Quirrell had been broken at last.

"Snape's done it, then!" said Ron. "If Quirrell's told him how to break his Anti-Dark Force spell —"

"There's still Fluffy, though," said Hermione.

"Maybe Snape's found out how to get past him without asking Hagrid," said Ron, looking up at the thousands of books surrounding them. "I bet there's a book somewhere in here telling you how to get past a giant three-headed dog. So what do we do, Harry?"

"We're going to Dumbledore!" Hermione intercepted before Harry could say anything. That's what we should have done ages ago. If we try anything ourselves we'll be thrown out for sure."

"But we've got no proof!" said Harry. "Quirrell's too scared to back us up. Snape's only got to say he doesn't know how the troll got in at Halloween and that he was nowhere near the third floor — who do you think they'll believe, him or us?"

"Harry's right Hermione," Mia added. "It's not exactly a secret that we hate Snape, Dumbledore'll think we made it up to get him sacked. Filch wouldn't help us if his life depended on it, he's too friendly with Snape, and the more students get thrown out, the better, he'll think. And don't forget, we're not supposed to know about the Stone or Fluffy. That'll take a lot of explaining. And after everything that's happened, I doubt anyone will even want to believe us anyway."

"If we just do a bit of poking around —" said Ron.

"No," said Harry flatly. "We've done enough poking around. The last thing we need is to get in more trouble and lose even more points than we've already have."

…..

Harry had been serious about not poking around, and every time they had to pass by the door leading to the third floor corridor, he acted as if it wasn't even there. The whole school was still mad at him, and Mia knew, no matter what she said, he felt they had every right. They were foolish enough to get wrapped up in the whole Norbert situation, but they didn't want to risk Hagrid getting fired. Hagrid was the one who introduced him to the magical world, and she knew Harry didn't regret helping out, but now he was suffering for it, along with Hermione.

One morning while they were at breakfast, Mia was idly playing with the food on her plate, not really in the mood to eat. She glanced down the table and saw Fred and George talking amongst themselves, but what she didn't know was that they were glancing at her as well. Despite what she said, she knew she still missed them. They were like her older brothers, and it was odd not joking around together with them. She barely even spared them a glance at Quidditch practice, despite the many times Harry tried to persuade her to speak with them. She sighed heavily as he stared back at his plate, trying to get rid of the sadness that was eating away at her. In the next moment, the hall started filling up with the owls carrying the morning mail, and Harry received a note, along with Hermione and Neville.

"What is it?" asked Ron through a mouthful of bacon.

"Our detention start tonight at eleven," Harry answered quietly. Mia stared at him sadly. She had forgotten they still had detentions to do in the furor over the points they'd lost. She half expected Hermione to complain that this was a whole night of studying lost, but she didn't say a word. Like Harry, she felt they deserved what they'd got.

They went through their classes like any other typical day, and when eleven o'clock came that night, Mia went down to the common room with Ron to say goodbye to Harry, Hermione, and Neville.

"We'll wait up for you," said Ron.

"You guys don't have to," said Hermione.

"Of course we do," countered Mia. "You're serving detention with Malfoy-we need to make sure he doesn't try anything with you guys."

After giving Hermione an encouraging hug, Mia waved goodbye as they walked through the portrait hole and out of the room. She sighed as she went over to one of the armchairs and sat down, getting herself comfortable, knowing it was going to be a long night. Ron came over and sat in the chair next to her, looking quite glum.

"You know, you never did tell us what you were up to," he stated after a while of silence.

"What?" said Mia.

"You never told us what you were up to," Ron repeated. "Going around talking to all the teachers, keeping secrets, and you even have Hagrid in on it. What's the deal, Mia?"

Mia sighed again and turned to face him. She might as well tell him now while she had the chance.

"I'm sorry I'm being so secretive," she said. "I just don't want Harry to find out. You see, when we found the Mirror of Erised, that was the first time Harry ever saw his parents or saw what they looked like. He doesn't have any pictures that I know of, and I wanted to change that. There are a lot of teachers who taught Lily and James Potter when they were at school, so I've been asking around for any pictures they might have. I want to surprise Harry with a photo album, and Hagrid is helping me with it. He sent out letters to all Harry's parent's school friends asking for pictures for me."

"Really?" said Ron with a smile. "That's brilliant Mia, I know Harry's going to like it. Are you finished with it?"

"Not quite," replied Mia. "Hagrid is still waiting for some answers and I just ordered the album from a shop in Diagon Ally, so I'm not sure how long it will take to get here. I have most of the pictures though."

"It's a good idea," said Ron, leaning back into the chair. "I wonder what their detention is."

"Me too," Mia muttered thoughtfully. "I hope it's nothing very bad…"

HPOV

"I'm not going in that forest!"

Harry, Hermione and Neville were standing out front of Hagrid's hut, listening to Malfoy's protest on the detention they had been assigned to that night. As it appears, they would be accompanying Hagrid in the Forbidden Forest tonight, and the idea made Harry extremely nervous. He remembered Dumbledore talking about it in the beginning of the year, and it's rumored to be home to all kinds of dark and dangerous creatures.

"Yeh are if yeh want ter stay at Hogwarts," said Hagrid fiercely. "Yeh've done wrong an' now yeh've got ter pay fer it."

"But this is servant stuff, it's not for students to do. I thought we'd be copying lines or something, if my father knew I was doing this, he'd—"

"—tell yer that's how it is at Hogwarts," Hagrid growled. "Copyin' lines! What good's that ter anyone? Yeh'll do summat useful or yeh'll get out. If yeh think yer father'd rather you were expelled, then get back off ter the castle an' pack. Go on."

Malfoy didn't move, but he glared at Hagrid before dropping his gaze, mumbling under his breath.

"Right then," said Hagrid. "Now, listen carefully, 'cause it's dangerous what we're gonna do tonight, an' I don' want no one takin' risks. Follow me over here a moment."

Harry and the others followed as Hagrid led them to the very edge of the forest. Holding his lamp up high, he pointed down a narrow, winding earth track that disappeared into the thick black trees. A light breeze lifted their hair as they looked into the forest. The lingering shadows and light fog that covered the ground was enough to send anyone running in the other direction.

"Look there," said Hagrid. "See that stuff shinin' on the ground? Silvery stuff? That's unicorn blood. There's a unicorn in there bin hurt badly by summat. This is the second time in a week. I found one dead last Wednesday. We're gonna try an' find the poor thing. We might have ter put it out of its misery."

"And what if whatever hurt the unicorn finds us first?" said Malfoy, unable to keep the fear out of his voice.

"There's nothin' that lives in the forest that'll hurt yeh if yer with me or Fang," said Hagrid. "An' keep ter the path. Right, now, we're gonna split inter two parties an' follow the trail in diff'rent directions. There's blood all over the place, it must've bin staggerin' around since last night at least."

"I want Fang," said Malfoy quickly, looking at Fang's long teeth.

"All right, but I warn yeh, he's a coward," said Hagrid. "So me, Harry, an' Hermione'll go one way an' Draco, Neville, an' Fang'll go the other. Now, if any of us finds the unicorn, we'll send up green sparks, right? Get yer wands out an' practice now — that's it — an' if anyone gets in trouble, send up red sparks, an' we'll all come an' find yeh — so, be careful — let's go."

Harry wasn't sure about letting Neville go wandering around the forest alone with Malfoy, but he also knew that Hagrid wouldn't let anything happen to any of them. So the group split up as they walked into the forest, with Harry and Hermione sticking close to their giant friend, nervously glancing at their surroundings. The forest looked quite dreary from the outside, but inside, it was as if one had stepped into nothing short of a nightmare. The thick black branches of the tress intertwined tightly above them, blocking out the night sky and nearly concealing the glow of the full moon. Harry, Hermione and Hagrid were all silent as they walked, keeping an eye on the silver blood that left a path on the ground.

"Could a werewolf be killing the unicorns?" Harry asked Hagrid.

"Not fast enough," said Hagrid. "It's not easy ter catch a unicorn, they're powerful magic creatures. I never knew one ter be hurt before."

Harry was silent. He didn't know much about Unicorn's, but he did know they were peaceful and friendly creatures. He vaguely remembered Snape mentioning that it is extremely rare to find Unicorn horns for potion ingredients, because it was considered a high crime to harm a Unicorn, for any reason. Why would anything or anyone want to hurt one? These thoughts kept wondering around in his head as he kept walking, and he noticed that the blood trail seemed to be getting a little thicker. Harry saw Hermione's face turn frightened and worried at the sight of it.

You all right, Hermione?" Hagrid whispered. "Don' worry, it can't've gone far if it's this badly hurt, an' then we'll be able ter — GET BEHIND THAT TREE!"

Hagrid seized Harry and Hermione and hoisted them off the path behind a towering oak. He pulled out an arrow and fitted it into his crossbow, raising it, ready to fire. The three of them listened. Something was slithering over dead leaves nearby: it sounded like a cloak trailing along the ground.

"I knew it," Hagrid murmured. "There's summat in here that shouldn' be."

"A werewolf?" Harry suggested as Hermione gripped the back of his robes.

"That wasn' no werewolf an' it wasn' no unicorn, neither," said Hagrid grimly. "Right, follow me, but careful, now."

With Hagrid in the lead, they started walking up the path again, moving more slowly and their senses sharp and alert. Hermione was still gripping his robes tightly and he tried to give her a reassuring look, hoping to dull her fears. To be perfectly honest, he was scared himself at what could be wandering around between the trees, watching them. Just then, they heard a sound in the clearing ahead of them, and Hagrid thrust his arm out to make them stop, raising his crossbow.

"Who's there?" Hagrid called. "Show yerself — I'm armed!"

There was silence for a moment as they all held their breath. Then, Harry's eyes widened as he saw movement in the trees and saw what came out from behind them. It was a man-no, half a man-with red hair and a scruffy red beard. He had toned muscles and broad shoulders, along with piercing eyes. Harry's eyes traveled to his lower body to see that this man had the body of a horse, with a gleaming chestnut coat and a long tail. He suddenly remembered Mia talking excitedly about these creatures over the summer before school-this was a _centaur. _

"Oh, it's you, Ronan," said Hagrid in relief. "How are yeh?"

"Good evening to you, Hagrid," said Ronan in a deep sorrowful voice. "Were you going to shoot me?"

"Can't be too careful, Ronan," said Hagrid, patting his crossbow. "There's summat bad loose in this forest. This is Harry Potter an' Hermione Granger, by the way. Students up at the school. An' this is Ronan, you two. He's a centaur."

"We'd noticed," said Hermione faintly.

"Good evening," said Ronan. "Students, are you? And do you learn much, up at the school?"

"Erm—"

"A bit," said Hermione timidly.

"A bit. Well, that's something." Ronan sighed. He flung back his head and stared at the sky. "Mars is bright tonight."

"Yeah," said Hagrid, glancing up, too. "Listen, I'm glad we've run inter yeh, Ronan, 'cause there's a unicorn bin hurt — you seen anythin'?"

Ronan was quiet at first, but then he sighed again, as if in mourning.

"Always the innocent are the first victims," he said. "So it has been for ages past, so it is now."

"Yeah," said Hagrid, "but have yeh seen anythin' Ronan? Anythin' unusual?"

"Mars is bright tonight," Ronan repeated. "Unusually bright."

"Yeah, but I was meanin' anythin' unusual a bit nearer home," said Hagrid. "So yeh haven't noticed anythin' strange?"

Yet again, Ronan took a while to answer. At last, he said, "The forest hides many secrets."

Harry could tell that Hagrid was getting impatient with Ronan's answers, but before he could say anything else, more movement caught their eye and he instantly raised his crossbow again. From the trees came another centaur, with black hair and coat, and a hard set to his eyes. He seemed more wild and fierce than Ronan.

"Hullo, Bane," said Hagrid. "All right?"

"Good evening, Hagrid, I hope you are well?"

"Well enough. Look, I've jus' bin askin' Ronan, you seen anythin' odd in here lately? There's a unicorn bin injured — would yeh know anythin' about it?"

Bane simply walked next to Ronan and stared up at the sky, appearing to be deep in thought, but with a look of innocent wonder on his face.

"Mars is bright tonight," he said simply.

"We've heard," said Hagrid grumpily. "Well, if either of you do see anythin', let me know, won't yeh? We'll be off, then."

With that being said, Hagrid shuffled out of the clearing with Harry and Hermione behind him. Harry glanced back over his shoulder to see that both Bane and Ronan were looking at him. Bane had a deep frown on his face while Ronan gazed at him with curiosity. Harry hurried to keep up with Hagrid, wondering what that was all about.

"Never," said Hagrid irritably, "try an' get a straight answer out of a centaur. Ruddy stargazers. Not interested in anythin' closer'n the moon."

"Are there many of them in here?" asked Hermione.

"Oh, a fair few… Keep themselves to themselves mostly, but they're good enough about turnin' up if ever I want a word. They're deep, mind, centaurs… they know things… jus' don' let on much."

"D'you think that was a centaur we heard earlier?" said Harry.

"Did that sound like hooves to you? Nah, if yeh ask me, that was what's bin killin' the unicorns – never heard anythin' like it before-"

"Hagrid!" Hermione exclaimed suddenly, grabbing his arm and pointing through the trees. "Look! Red sparks! The others are in trouble!"

"You two wait here!" Hagrid shouted. "Stay on the path, I'll come back for yeh!"

Hagrid quickly rushed forward with unexpected speed, bursting through the ferns and undergrowth towards where they had seen the red sparks. In the next second Harry and Hermione were left along on the path, surrounded by the rustling leaves and glares of the trees.

"You okay Hermione?" Harry said.

"Yes," Hermione whispered in a shaky voice. "I'm really glad Ron and Mia aren't here in this terrible place."

"Me too," said Harry. He couldn't wrap his head around his other best friends being here in this dreadful place, and he was almost glad that Ron and Mia were too injured to come. This experience hasn't been cheerful, and after tonight, he had no intention of ever going into the forest again. As the minutes ticked by, Harry began shuffling his feet, wondering what was keeping Hagrid.

"Where are they?" said Hermione, her voice laced with worry. "You don't think they've been hurt do you?"

"I don't care if Malfoy has, but if something's got Neville… it's our fault he's here in the first place," said Harry grimly, peering into the darkness. The minutes dragged on even longer and Harry was starting to grow restless. What was going on? Where were the others? Just as Harry was contemplating whether or not to go looking for the others, a great crunching noise announced Hagrid's return. Trailing behind him were Malfoy, Neville, and Fang. Hagrid was fuming, grumbling . Malfoy, it seemed, had sneaked up behind Neville and grabbed him as an attempt to scare him. It obviously had worked, for Neville had panicked and sent up the sparks straight away.

"We'll be lucky ter catch anythin' now, with the racket you two were makin'. Right, we're changin' groups — Neville, you stay with me an' Hermione, Harry, you go with Fang an' this idiot. I'm sorry," Hagrid added in a whisper to Harry. "But he'll have a harder time frightenin' you, an' we've gotta get this done."

Scowling at his luck, Harry and Malfoy set off into the heart of the forest with Fang at their side, sniffling around on the ground. They walked for nearly half an hour, deeper and deeper into the forest, until the path became almost impossible to follow because the trees were so thick and the ground was starting to become uprooted. Harry observed the blood that was splattered around on the ground, and saw that it was getting even more thicker, indicating that the Unicorn might be somewhere close by. There were more splashes on the roots of a tree, as though the poor creature had been thrashing around in pain. They continued walking for a few more minutes until Harry could see a small opening that probably led to a clearing. As he and Malfoy drew closer, Harry could have sworn he saw something white gleaming on the ground. He motioned for Malfoy to be quiet as they inched closer. Once they saw what was ahead of them, both boys froze to on the spot, their mouths dropping open.

Lying on the cold forest floor, it's beautiful body limp and lifeless, was the Unicorn. The stunning creature looked as if it had been tackled over, and put up a good fight to whatever attacked it. There was a gaping wound in its side, where silver blood was running down its slender legs and pooling on the leaves. Harry felt a surge of great sadness at seeing something so pure and beautiful mauled and dead. He cautiously took a step towards it, but immediately stopped. A quiet, slithering sound filled the air around them, and it made his hair stand on end. A bush on the edge of the clearing quivered, and then, out of the shadows, a hooded figure came crawling across the ground like some stalking beast. When it reached the unicorn, lowered its head over the wound in the animal's side, and, to Harry's horror and disgust, began to drink its blood.

"AAAAAAAAAARGH!"

Malfoy let out a terrible, blood-curling scream and bolted in the other direction, along with Fang. The hooded figure raised its head and looked right at Harry, the Unicorn's blood dribbling down its front. It slowly rose from its prey and started coming towards Harry, who was still frozen in fear, his breath coming out in short gasps, his heart thumping frantically in his chest. Then a pain like he'd never felt before pierced his head-it was as though his scar were on fire. He let out a holler of pain and fell to the ground, slapping his hand to his forehead and groping the roots around him as he tried to back away from the advancing figure. Eventually his back hit the trunk of a tree and he knew he was trapped. Harry squinted through bleary eyes to see the cloaked figure coming closer. Just as he thought he was done for, Harry suddenly heard the sound of hooves behind her, galloping, and something jumped clean over him, charging at the figure. Still nearly blinded by the pain in his scar, Harry placed his head in his hands, hissing as it felt like it was searing into his kin. After a minute or two, the pain started to fade away until it was completely gone, and Harry could see right again. Taking a couple deep breaths, Harry looked up to see that the figure was gone, and she was now looking into the face of another centaur. This one looked younger than Ronan and Bane; he had white-blond hair and a palomino body.

"Are you all right?" said the centaur, reaching down to help Harry to his feet.

"Yes — thank you," Harry gasped. "What _was _that?"

The centaur didn't answer him. He had astonishingly blue eyes, almost the exact same shade as Mia's, and they seemed to gleam like sapphires. He looked carefully at Harry, his eyes lingering on the scar that stood out, livid, on his forehead.

"You are the Potter boy," he said slowly. "You had better get back to Hagrid. The forest is not safe at this time — especially for you. Can you ride? It will be quicker this way."

"Thank you," Harry sad again as the centaur lowered himself, allowing Harry to climb on his back. "Who are you?"

"My name is Firenze," he answered as he straightened himself up. "It's nice to meet you Mr. Potter."

Before Harry could say anything else, there was the sound of more galloping from the other side of the clearing, and then Ronan and Bane came bursting through the trees, their flanks heaving and sweaty. Bane looked outraged as he saw Harry riding Firenze, his eyes narrowing and his teeth bared.

"Firenze!" he thundered. "What are you doing? You have a human on your back! Have you no shame? Are you a common mule?"

"Do you realize who this is?" said Firenze. "This is the Potter boy. The quicker he leaves this forest, the better."

"What have you been telling him?" growled Bane. "Remember, Firenze, we are sworn not to set ourselves against the heavens. Have we not read what is to come in the movements of the planets?"

"I'm sure Firenze thought he was acting for the best," said Ronan. Bane kicked his back legs in anger, glaring.

"For the best! What is that to do with us? Centaurs are concerned with what has been foretold! It is not our business to run around like donkeys after stray humans in our forest!"

Firenze suddenly reared on to his hind legs in anger, so that Harry had to grab his shoulders to stay on.

"Do you not see that Unicorn?!" Firenze bellowed at Bane. "Do you not understand why it was killed? Or have the planets not let you in on that secret? I set myself against what is lurking in this forest, Bane, yes, with humans alongside me if I must."

Before another word could be spoken, Firenze wheeled around and galloped through the trees with Harry clinging for dear life, flying through the forest so that everything around them was a dark blur. Harry struggled to sit upright with the wind in his face, and he kept a firm hold to the centaur's shoulders. Once they were a safe distance away, Firenze started to slow down until he came to a walk, and Harry was able to catch his breath.

"Why's Bane so angry?" he asked. "What was that thing you saved me from, anyway?"

Firenze was silent as they traveled through the dense tress, refusing to answer Harry's question. For the longest time neither of them said anything, and just as Harry was about to ask where they were going, Firenze suddenly stopped.

"Harry Potter, do you know what unicorn blood is used for?" Firenze asked quietly, pawing the ground.

"No," said Harry. "We've only used the horn and tail hair in Potions."

"That is because it is a monstrous thing, to slay a unicorn," said Firenze. "Only one who has nothing to lose, and everything to gain, would commit such a crime. The blood of a unicorn will keep you alive, even if you are an inch from death, but at a terrible price. You have slain something pure and defenseless to save yourself, and you will have but a half-life, a cursed life, from the moment the blood touches your lips."

"But who'd be that desperate?" said Harry. "If you're going to be cursed forever, death's better, isn't it?"

"It is," Firenze agreed. "Unless all you need to do is to stay alive long enough to drink something else—something that will bring you back to full strength and power — something that will mean you can never die. Mr. Potter, do you know what is hidden in the school at this very moment?"

"The Sorcerer's Stone," Harry muttered slowly. "Of course — the Elixir of Life! But I don't understand who—"

"Can you think of nobody who has waited many years to return to power, who has clung to life, awaiting their chance to return to their full strength?"

It was as though an iron fist had clenched suddenly around Harry's heart. For a moment he stopped breathing and his eyes widened at what Firenze had said. In the back of his mind, Harry remembered what Hagrid had told him on the night they had met_: "Some say he died. Codswallop, in my opinion. Dunno if he had enough human left in him to die."_

The horrible truth punched Harry in the face with the force of a wrecking ball. Snape doesn't want the Sorcerer's Stone for himself-he wants it for Voldemort.

MPOV

At some point while they were waiting for their friends to return, Mia and Ron had fallen asleep in the armchairs and were completely oblivious to the world around them. Mia was curled up, her knees tucked into her chest and her head rested against the cushion. She wasn't sure exactly when she had fallen asleep, but it felt like she had only slept for a few minutes before she was being shaken awake. She mumbled a little bit, but opened her eyes to see Hermione standing next to her. Mia smiled softly at her friend while she stretched out.

"Hey Mione," she yawned tiredly. "Did you guys just get back?"

Yeah," Hermione replied, looking over to where Harry was attempting to wake up Ron, who was snoring loudly in his chair.

"No ref, that was a foul-" Ron exclaimed when Harry roughly shook him awake. His eyes were wide and he stared around wildly until he caught sight of everyone looking at him. His face went a nice shade of red.

"You're back," he said blankly, clearly embarrassed. "So-how'd it go?"

Mia saw Harry look over at Hermione, and then they went into a full explanation about what had happened that night. Mia couldn't believe it when Hermione told her that they served their detention in the Forbidden Forest. That place was supposed to be dangerous! What was the school thinking, sending a bunch of first years in there?! Nonetheless, Mia kept quiet as Harry continued to talk. He told them all about meeting the centaurs, splitting up with Malfoy, finding the dead Unicorn, and seeing the cloaked figure drink its blood. Mia's face became awfully pale at this, and for a moment she thought she was going to be sick. That's just plain evil and disgusting! Who would do that to such a pure and innocent creature? However, her disgust quickly turned into fear when Harry told them how the figure went after him, and it was only after being saved by Firenze did he realize who it was.

"You mean that Voldemort is out there right now? In the forest?" Mia whispered, her face still pale.

"Yes, but he's weak," said Harry, pacing up and down in front of them.

"Snape wants the stone for Voldemort… and Voldemort's waiting in the forest… and all this time we thought Snape just wanted to get rich…"

"Stop saying the name!" said Ron in a terrified whisper, as if he thought Voldemort could hear them.

"Firenze saved me, but he shouldn't have done so," Harry continued, ignoring Ron. "Bane was furious… he was talking about interfering with what the planets say is going to happen… They must show that Voldemort's coming back… Bane thinks Firenze should have let Voldemort kill me… I suppose that's written in the stars as well."

"Will you stop saying the name!" Ron hissed.

"Get a grip Ron!" said Mia. "It's just a name!"

"So all I've got to wait for now is Snape to steal the Stone," Harry went on feverishly. "Then Voldemort will be able to come and finish me off… Well, I suppose Bane'll be happy."

"Harry, everyone says Dumbledore's the only one You-Know-Who was ever afraid of, with Dumbledore around, You-Know-Who won't touch you," Hermione said, trying to provide some comfort. "Anyway, who says the centaurs are right? It sounds like fortune-telling to me, and Professor McGonagall says that's a very imprecise branch of magic."

"But still, the point is Voldemort could have killed Harry tonight," said Mia, her voice laced with fear. "You guys never should have been there in the first place! He could have hurt all of you!"

At this point Mia was shaking a little, and her heart was beating rather quickly. Knowing that the most evil wizard of all time, the man who tried to kill Harry as a baby, was out there binding his time and had come so close to harming her best friend was a little more than she could handle right now. Harry must have sensed her distress, because he stopped pacing and moved to squeeze next to her on the armchair.

"Mia, it's fine, I'm okay," he said, giving her a soothing smile. "We all are."

"I know," said Mia. "I just can't believe he's out there…"

"And to think I've been worrying about my potion final," Ron said faintly.

"Well, we're not doing much good worrying about it this late," said Hermione. "We should probably go up to bed."

No one else argued with her, seeing as they were all exhausted. Mia walked up with Hermione to their dormitory and quickly settled into their beds, trying to be quiet so as not to disturb their dorm mates. Mia didn't fall asleep right away, her mind plagued with thoughts of a faceless figure dressed in black, gliding through the shadows of the forest. She shivered. Voldemort was out there somewhere, waiting for the perfect moment to reclaim power and strike. From all the things she's heard about him, this was something to be feared and dreaded. Despite how scared she was at the thought of Voldemort returning to power, Mia went to sleep with only one thought in mind: Even if the Dark Lord somehow came back, she would be damned before she let him hurt Harry or any of her friends.

**Rate and review please! **


	19. Exams and Nightly Missions

**Hi! Oh my God, I can't believe it! Only a couple more chapters, and then I should be done! I can't wait! I decided to give you all a little treat by updating two chapters at once, I really hope you like them! Just let me know if I messed anything up, I'm a little tired so I know there is bound to be some mistakes. Just let me know if I did anything major, okay? Questions, comments, just let me know! Enjoy! **

**Disclaimer: All things Harry Potter are not mine. **

Chapter Eighteen: Exams and Nightly Missions

MPOV

The Hogwarts final exams were now finally upon them. To say Mia was nervous would be a bit of an understatement. She and her friends have been studying almost nonstop, but she was still afraid she wouldn't do very well on them. These tests decide whether or not they go on to second year, so she knew how important it was to pass them. On Monday, the first years had to take their Transfiguration and charms essay in the morning right after breakfast. Professor McGonagall instructed them to turn their mouse into a snuffbox—points were given for how pretty the snuffbox was, but taken away if it had whiskers. She had smiled at Mia, who managed to make her box a lovely sandy color with pink and lilac flower petals all around it. Professor Flitwick had called them into his class one by one, asking them to make a pineapple tap dance across the desk. Mia was fairly nervous about this one, because while she had managed to make her pineapple dance, she somehow managed to make it start singing the opera, and she didn't know if that would count against her or not.

On Tuesday, they had to take their Herbology and Defense Against the Dark Arts exams, the latter of which was a little difficult to concentrate in because the smell of garlic around them. In Potions, Snape walked around while they all tried to remember how to brew a Forgetfulness Potion, a nasty smirk on his face. However, the smirk vanished when Mia and Hermione both presented him with perfect cauldrons and he reluctantly poured a sample of each into a phial to be tested later. Their last exam was History of Magic, and it was the only one Mia really had to struggle with. Hermione, of course, seemed to fly by with passing colors, and she looked quite proud of herself on their way to lunch, making Harry and Ron grumble. All throughout the week, Mia had noticed that Harry seemed a little jumpy and anxious. He looked as if he were expecting something awful to happen, and he was slightly more quiet than usual. If Mia had to guess anything, she was sure he was still worried about the whole Voldemort situation. She was too, to be perfectly honest, and while the exams helped as a distraction, they couldn't occupy her mind for very long.

On the last day of their exams, the four friends decided to celebrate by spending the afternoon outside by the lake, sitting under their favorite tree. Setting their books and bags down, Ron flopped down onto his back, placing his hands behind his head and sighing while Harry sat with his legs crossed and Hermione sat up against the trunk of the trees, some of her old notes in her lap for revision. Mia sat down next to Harry and leaned back, pushing herself up with her arms and smiling as the warm sun fell across her face. It was gorgeous outside, and most of the school was taking advantage of the beautiful day, strolling around on the grounds, and there were even some people who were swimming in the lake.

"No more studying," Ron sighed happily, stretching out on the grass. "Now we can relax and just enjoy the sun."

"We still have to wait for our results, Ron," said Hermione. "We have to be thinking about how well we did if we want to continue on to next year-"

"Hermione, you're killing my mood!" groaned Ron. "I don't want to think about next year yet!"

Mia rolled her eyes and laughed at the two of them as they went at each other. She glanced over to see Harry's face scrunched up, and there was a scowl on his face as he rubbed his scar as if it was in pain.

"What's up Harry?" said Mia.

"I wish I knew what this means!" he burst out angrily. "My scar keeps hurting—it's happened before, but never as often as this."

"Go to Madam Pomfrey," Hermione suggested as she stopped her quarrel with Ron.

"I'm not ill," said Harry. "I think it's a warning… it means danger's coming…"

"Harry, relax, Hermione's right, the Stone's safe as long as Dumbledore's around," Ron reasoned with him. "Anyway, we've never had any proof Snape found out how to get past Fluffy. He nearly had his leg ripped off once, he's not going to try it again in a hurry. And Neville will play Quidditch for England before Hagrid lets Dumbledore down."

"That's right," Mia added with a nod. "Hagrid's completely loyal to Dumbledore, he would never purposely betray him. I'm sure Snape will never find out how to get past Fluffy, and even if somehow he did, there's still the other enchantment. He might know about them, but that doesn't mean it will be easy to get past them. They're bound to be dangerous and difficult, especially if Dumbledore helped out as well-"

"Wait, hold on a minute!" Harry said suddenly, snapping his head over to Mia and staring at her with wide eyes, as if he had just figured something out. "What did you say?"

"Er-they're bound to be dangerous and difficult?"

"No, before that!"

"Um, which part?" asked Mia, completely confused. "The part about Snape or about Hagrid not betraying Dumbledore?"

"Exactly! You said Hagrid would never _purposely _betray Dumbledore…but if I'm right that means-oh no!" Harry exclaimed, jumping to his feet.

"What's wrong Harry?" said Hermione, completely stunned by his sudden outburst.

"We've got to go and see Hagrid, now," he said, starting to set off across the lawn. Mia, Hermione and Ron quickly scrambled to their feet to follow him, each of them clueless as to what Harry was doing.

"Why do we have to go see Hagrid?" panted Hermione, hurrying to keep up.

"Don't you think it's a bit odd that what Hagrid wants more than anything else is a dragon, and a stranger turns up who just happens to have an egg in his pocket?" said Harry, moving even faster. "How many people wander around with dragon eggs if it's against wizard law? Lucky they found Hagrid, don't you think? Why didn't I see it before?"

"But how does that-" Mia started, but she stooped herself as the answer came to her mind, her eyes going wide and her mouth dropping open in shock. "Of course! He knew he could bribe Hagrid, or coax it out of him like Hermione did before!"

"What are you two talking about?" said Ron.

"No time Ron, just hurry up!" said Mia, picking up some speed so she was level with Harry, who was sprinting towards Hagrid's hut. They caught sight of Hagrid sitting out front in an armchair, shelling a large pile of peas. Mia and Harry skidded to a halt when they reached him, with Ron and Hermione panting behind them.

"Hullo," he said, smiling. "Finished yer exams? Got time fer a drink?"

"No thank you Hagrid," said Mia before Ron could open his mouth. "We actually need to ask you something, it's important."

"You know that night you won Norbert?" asked Harry in a rush. "What did the stranger you were playing cards with look like?"

"Dunno," Hagrid replied. "He wouldn' take his cloak off. It's not that unusual, yeh get a lot o' funny folk in the Hog's Head—that's one of the pubs down in the village. Mighta bin a dragon dealer, mightn' he? I never saw his face, he kept his hood up."

Mia tried her best not to panic while Harry sat down.

"What did you talk to him about, Hagrid? Did you mention Hogwarts at all?" said Harry.

"Mighta come up," said Hagrid, frowning as he tried to remember. "Yeah… he asked what I did, an' I told him I was gamekeeper here…he asked a bit about the sorta creatures I took after so I told him-an' I said what I'd always really wanted was a dragon. An' then…I can' remember too well, 'cause he kept buyin' me drinks…let's see…yeah, then he said he had the dragon egg an' we could play cards fer it if I wanted…but he had ter be sure I could handle it, he didn' want it ter go ter any old home, so I told him, after Fluffy, a dragon would be easy…"

"And did he—did he seem interested in Fluffy?" Harry asked, while Ron and Hermione's eye went wide, the two of them figuring out what was going on.

"Well—yeah—how many three-headed dogs d'yeh meet, even around Hogwarts? So I told him, Fluffy's a piece o' cake if yeh know how to calm him down, jus' play him a bit o' music an' he'll go straight off ter sleep—"

Hagrid suddenly looked horrified and Mia was right there with him. Their worst fears had just been confirmed. That wasn't a stranger that Hagrid met in the pub-it was Snape! He must have got Hagrid drunk so he could get the right information out of him. But that meant that he knew how to get past Fluffy! This was bad, this was very bad, they had to tell someone! Without another word, Mia and the other turned around and raced back up to the castle, despite Hagrid calling after them. They ran until they reached the entrance hall, and Ma bent over, placing her hands on her knees while trying to catch her breath.

"That was no stranger," she gasped.

"We've got to go to Dumbledore," said Harry, nodding. "Hagrid told them how to get past Fluffy, and it was either Snape or Voldemort under that cloak—it must've been easy, once he'd got Hagrid drunk. I just hope Dumbledore believes us. Firenze might back us up if Bane doesn't stop him. Where's Dumbledore's office?"

"No idea," Ron answered. "I don't know anyone who's been to Dumbledore's office. Well, except Fred and George, but I have no idea where they are and we don't have time to look for them."

"We'll just have to-"

"What are you three doing inside?"

They all turned to see Professor McGonagall walking towards them, a large pile of books in her hands and peering at them over her glasses.

"We want to see Professor Dumbledore," said Hermione, rather bravely, Bella and Ron thought.

"See Professor Dumbledore?" Professor McGonagall repeated, as though this was a very fishy thing to want to do. "Why?"

"Um, well-it's sort of secret," Harry said. Professor McGonagall's nostrils flared.

"Professor Dumbledore left ten minutes ago," she said coldly. "He received an urgent owl from the Ministry of Magic and flew off for London at once."

"He's gone?" said Harry frantically. "Now?"

"Professor Dumbledore is a very great wizard, Potter, he has many demands on his time–"

"But this is important."

"Something you have to say is more important than the Ministry of Magic, Potter?"

"Please Professor," pleaded Mia, looking desperately at their head of house. "We wouldn't ask if it wasn't very important."

"If it is of such importance Miss Thatcher, then maybe I can be of some assistance," stated McGonagall, her glasses flashing as she stared each one of them down.

"Look," said Harry cautiously. "Professor—it's about the Sorcerer's Stone-"

Mia resisted the urge to groan and face palm as McGonagall dropped all the books she had been carrying. She stared at them all with wide eyes, and she looked positively speechless.

"How do you know —?" she spluttered.

"Professor, we think—we _know_—that Sn—that someone's going to try and steal the Stone," said Mia. "We've got to talk to Professor Dumbledore."

"Professor Dumbledore will be back tomorrow, Miss Thatcher," Professor McGonagall said firmly. "I don't know how you four found out about the Stone, but rest assured, no one can possibly steal it, it's too well protected."

"But Professor—"

"Potter, I know what I'm talking about," she said shortly, bending down to gather up the fallen books. "I suggest you all go back outside and enjoy the sunshine."

They waited until Professor McGonagall had picked up the rest of the books and walked away before they huddled together.

"It's tonight," said Harry. "Snape's going through the trapdoor tonight. He's found out everything he needs, and now he's got Dumbledore out of the way. He sent that note, I bet the Ministry of Magic will get a real shock when Dumbledore turns up."

"And by the time he gets back, Snape will be long gone," Mia added in a whisper. "If he manages to deliver the Stone to Voldemort…"

"It'll be the end of the world," Ron said in a high voice. "Bill and Charlie still remember a little about what the first war was like, and they won't even tell me about it."

"But what can we do?" Hermione asked. Before anyone could answer her, she gasped, looking over Ron and Harry's shoulders. The other three whipped around to see none other than Snape standing there, fixing them all with his cold stare.

"Good afternoon," he greeted smoothly. Ron gulped but they said nothing as they stared at him.

"You shouldn't be inside on a day like this," Snape said, with an odd, twisted smile.

"We-we were-" Harry began.

"You want to be more careful," said Snape. "Hanging around like this, people will think you're up to something. And Gryffindor really can't afford to lose any more points, can it?"

They were silent, with Mia fixing Snape with a glare. As they turned around and walked away, Snape called out to them.

"Be warned, Potter—any more nighttime wanderings and I will personally make sure you are expelled. Good day to you."

Mia, Harry, Ron and Hermione slowly walked down the stone steps, but once they reached the bottom, they huddled up again. Mia's nerves were on end. She didn't like Snape's tone at all. It was almost as if he knew…

"Right, here's what we've got to do," Harry whispered urgently. "Two of us have got to keep an eye on Snape-wait outside the staff room and follow him if he leaves it. Hermione, you and Mia should do that."

"Why us?" Hermione squeaked.

"It's obvious. You can pretend to be waiting for Professor Flitwick, you know," answered Ron before putting on a high girly voice. "'Oh Professor Flitwick, I'm so worried, I think I got question fourteen b wrong… '"

Hermione went red and punched his arm while Mia nodded at Harry.

"We'll do it," she said.

"And we'd better stay outside the third-floor corridor," Harry told Ron. "Come on."

They hurriedly went back inside the castle and went their separate ways. Harry and Ron went to go up to the third floor corridor while Mia and Hermione went to go spy on Snape.

"We shouldn't be doing this," Hermione whispered fearfully.

"Don't worry Hermione, it'll be fine," Mia assured her. "I've been watching Snape for a while, it's a piece of cake."

"Why were you watching Snape?" asked Hermione.

"I've been keeping an eye out ever since we found out he was supervising the Hufflepuff game," Mia replied. "I wanted to make sure he wouldn't try to do anything to Harry."

Hermione nodded as they positioned themselves outside the staffroom. Mia kept her guard up, looking up and down the corridor to make sure no one saw them and asked what they were up to. Her heart was beating a little faster with anxiety and adrenaline. Why of all days did Dumbledore have to be gone? Snape must have planned out everything down to the last detail. She and Hermione stood outside the door for about ten minutes before it opened and Snape came out. As soon as he saw them standing there, he narrowed his eyes at them suspiciously.

"I thought I told you to go outside," he sneered.

"We were just waiting for Professor Flitwick, Sir," said Hermione. "We wanted to ask him a few questions about the exam."

Snape's eyes narrowed even more and Mia saw Hermione shift her feet uncomfortable. Then Snape sighed, as if they were being a great annoyance to him.

"Professor Flitwick is inside," he said, making Mia's stomach drop. "Wait here and I will fetch him for you."

He went back inside the staffroom, and the minute his black robes disappeared behind the door, Mia and Hermione broke off into a run. How could they be so stupid not to think that Snape would go get Professor Flitwick? Now they can't follow him! Hopefully Harry and Ron would have had more luck patrolling the door to the third floor corridor. The two girls ran up the marble staircase, taking them two at a time in their haste to get to Gryffindor tower. By the time they reached the Fat Lady, they were nearly out of breath, and they gasped out the password before rushing inside. Mia's hopes were punctured as she saw that Ron and Harry were there by the fireplace. I guess their plan didn't work after all.

"I'm sorry, Harry!" Hermione wailed. "Snape came out and asked us what we were doing, so I said we were waiting for Flitwick, and Snape went to get him, and we've only just got away, we don't know where Snape went."

"Well, this is just splendid," said Ron. "We've lost Snape, and now he's probably floating on a cloud cause he thinks no one can stop him-"

"Well, that's it then, isn't it?" Harry said.

Mia, Ron and Hermione went quiet as they stared at him. He was pale, and his eyes were glittering wit a fierce determination that Mia has never seen before. It was if he was almost like a madman, driven by something so powerful that nothing on this earth could stop him. She was surprised and shocked at seeing him like this. And, to be perfectly honest, she was slightly awed and inspired by it.

"I'm going out there tonight and I'm going to try and get to the Stone first," Harry said.

"What?! You're mad!" said Ron.

"You can't!" gasped Hermione. "After what McGonagall and Snape have said? You'll be expelled!"

"SO WHAT" Harry shouted. "Don't you understand? If Snape gets hold of the Stone, Voldemort's coming back! Haven't you heard what it was like when he was trying to take over? There won't be any Hogwarts to get expelled from! He'll flatten it, or turn it into a school for the Dark Arts! Losing points doesn't matter anymore, can't you see? D'you think he'll leave you and your families alone if Gryffindor wins the house cup? If I get caught before I can get to the Stone, well, I'll have to go back to the Dursleys and wait for Voldemort to find me there, it's only dying a bit later than I would have, because I'm never going over to the Dark Side! I'm going through that trapdoor tonight and nothing you three say is going to stop me! Voldemort killed my parents, remember?"

There was silence as Harry finished his speech, and he glared at them all, as if daring them to argue. In that moment, Mia's admiration for him grew even more, and she couldn't help but feel proud of him. Harry had such a big heart, and he was much too good to ever consider going to the dark side. She could see that Harry Potter was no ordinary wizard-no, he was something much more than that. He was right, it didn't matter if they were expelled or not-they had to stop Voldemort from getting the Stone, no matter what.

"You're right Harry," said Hermione in a small voice. "You're right…"

"I'll use the invisibility cloak," said Harry. "It's just lucky I got it back."

"But will it cover all four of us?" asked Ron.

"All—all three of us?" Harry repeated blankly.

"Don't be so thick, Harry," said Mia, rolling her eyes. "We're coming with you."

"What?" said Harry, staring at her with wide eyes that held, to Mia's surprise, a trace of fear. "No you're not!"

"Oh, come off it, you don't think we'd let you go alone?" added Ron, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Of course not," said Hermione briskly. "How do you think you'd get to the Stone without us? I'd better go and look through my books, there might be something useful…"

"But if we get caught, you three will be expelled, too," Harry argued. "And it's way too dangerous! I won't let you guys go-"

"Sorry to burst your bubble Golden Boy, but you have no say in the matter," said Mia, a fiery blaze in her eyes as she stepped in front of him. "We're your best friends, and we stick together no matter what! It's better if we all go together to have a better chance at stopping Snape! You need us Harry. We're not going to abandon you so you can go off on some crazy mission, so don't even think about trying to stop us! And what if Voldemort's with him, hm? I don't care if some pansy Dark Lord is there, and I don't give a rat's arse how dangerous he is, he is not going to lay a finger on you without going through me first! I'm _not _giving him the chance to kill you again!"

Mia was breathing heavily by the time she was finished with her own rant, and she glared at Harry fiercely, silently telling him there was no way she was going to let him go on his own. They stared at each other for a moment, green gazing directly into blue, and it was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. After a few more seconds, Harry sighed, giving Mia an exasperated, but also extremely grateful smile.

"Thank you," he said softly. "All of you."

"We're with you no matter what," said Hermione. "And don't worry about us getting expelled. "Flitwick told Mia and me secret that we got a hundred and twelve percent on his exam. They're not throwing us out after that."

"How the bloody hell did you two get a hundred and twelve percent?" gaped Ron incredulously. "I swear you two have got to be the smartest witches in the century!"

Mia and Hermione beamed at him.

….

That night, the four of them sat apart in the common room, all very nervous about the task they were about to do. Harry and Ron were quietly talking amongst themselves on the loveseat while Mia and Hermione sat by themselves at a table, going through all their notes and books. They had no idea what they were going to face tonight and wanted to be prepared in every way possible. While they were working, two shadows fell across their table, and Mia looked up to see Fred and George standing there. Mia was shocked to see their usual mischievous expressions were replaced by solemn ones.

"Mia, can we talk to you?" Fred said.

"Alone?" George added.

"I'm sorry guys, but I'm really busy right now," said Mia, turning back to her notes. However, before she knew what was happening, each twin grabbed her arm and effortlessly picked her up out of her chair and started carrying across the common room towards the boy's staircases.

"What are you doing?!" she hissed. "Put me down!"

"We just want a quick chat Mia," said Fred. "Won't take long."

Mia glowered at them but knew it was pointless to struggle. She yelled to Hermione that she would be right back just as the Weasley twins started carrying her up the staircase. She was silent as they carried her up the steps, an annoyed expression on her face. They passed by a few doors until they reached the one that read _Third Years._ The dorm was deserted and very messy, causing Mia to roll her eyes. Fred and George pulled her inside and then placed her down in the middle of one of the beds, taking a seat on the opposite one. Mia glared at them before crossing her arms.

"What do you want?" she said.

"You've been avoiding us Mia," George said bluntly.

"You don't say?" said Mia sarcastically.

"We want to know why," supplied Fred.

_"Why?"_ said Mia. "You want to know _why?_ You two have been ignoring, ridiculing and shooting down my best friends for _weeks _and you want to know _why _I've been avoiding you?!"

Fred and George looked a little shocked at her outburst but were quick to defend themselves.

"They lost us a hundred and fifty points Mia!" said Fred, his eyebrows furrowed. "They lost us the House Cup!"

"You're honestly telling me that the House Cup is such a life dependency that it cause you two to discriminate your own housemates?" Mia growled.

"We had a chance to beat Slytherin!" George said stubbornly.

"And we'll have a chance to beat them next year!" Mia shouted. "Did it not occur to you that a hundred of those points could easily have been won back at the next Quidditch match? Did you not notice that Hermione and I have been trying our best to win those points back during class? Did you even bother to think why Harry and Hermione were out that late?! You know they never would have risked so many points if it wasn't something important! Gryffindors are supposed to be noble, but you're all acting judgmental when you don't even know the whole story! Slytherin wins again this year, _so what?!_ How many points have you two lost over the years? You guys have four more years to help win the cup, and my friends and I have six! But no, since 'The Seeker' and some other first years made one mistake, they're immediately outcasts for the rest of their lives!"

Fred and George had the decency to looked ashamed by the end of Mia's rant and she gave them the best glare she could come up with. She might have been a little harsh, but they needed to hear how frustrated and hurt she was by the way they had been acting. She could feel some moisture in her eyes and she blinked rapidly.

"You're right Mia," Fred finally said. "We've been acting like total prats."

"Yes, you have," said Mia. "It's bad enough Harry is miserable at home, he doesn't need to be miserable here too."

The twins looked like they wanted to ask what she meant, but decided against it.

"What made them lose all those points?" asked George quietly.

"Why should you care after all this time? The damage has already been done," said Mia. She closed her eyes and sighed heavily, her stiff form relaxing somewhat. She thought about what she, Harry, Ron and Hermione would be doing tonight, and it made her anger fade slightly. They would be facing great danger tonight, and in case the worst should happen, she didn't want to leave a ruined friendship with Fred and George behind.

"Guys, listen," she muttered in a soft voice. "I understand you wanted to win, I really do. But is it really worth being so mean to Harry, Hermione and Neville? They never meant to lose so many points but they were doing something very important. I promised I wouldn't say, but all I'm telling you is that if they hadn't done it, Hagrid would have been sacked. Just think about what I've said, okay? I need to go back downstairs."

The twins were quiet as Mia stood up from the bed. She thought about it for a moment, then she reached over and wrapped her arms around both of them, pulling them into a gentle hug. After getting over their shock, Fred and George hugged her back and gave her faint smiles as they pulled away. Mia smiled back at them before turning around and heading out of the room, closing the door behind her. She hoped that they would listen to her and start talking to Harry. Then again, she hoped they would make it out of this alive tonight to talk to them. Trying to keep her mind positive, Mia walked back down the staircase to rejoin Hermione.

It took a long while for the common room to empty out, and Mia was starting to grow restless, tapping her foot on the floor and glancing out the window every now and then. Finally, after the last person left to go up to bed, the common room was silent, and Mia looked at the others. Harry sat up from his seat and then ran up the boy's staircase to go fetch his invisibility cloak from his dorm. When he came back down with it folded under his arms, Mia and Hermione stood up and walked over to him.

"We'd better put the cloak on here, and make sure it covers all four of us," said Harry. "If Filch spots one of our feet wandering along on its own—"

"What are you doing?" came a sudden voice. The four of them whipped around to see Neville climbing out from behind an armchair, clutching his pet toad Trevor, who looked like he was trying to make another break for it.

"Nothing, Neville, nothing," said Harry, hurriedly putting the cloak behind his back. Neville got to his feet and he frowned as he stared at each one of their guilty faces.

"You're going out again, aren't you?" he said. "You're sneaking out!"

"No, no, no," said Hermione. "No, we're not. Why don't you go to bed, Neville?"

"You can't go out," said Neville, shaking his head. "You'll be caught again. Gryffindor will be in even more trouble."

"You don't understand," said Harry. "This is important."

"Neville, please listen to us," begged Mia, glancing nervously at the clock against the wall. They had to leave, they couldn't waste any more time!

"I won't let you do it," he said, hurrying to stand in front of the portrait hole. "I'll—I'll fight you!"

"Neville!" Ron exploded. "Get away from that hole and don't be an idiot—"

"Don't you call me an idiot!" said Neville. "I don't think you should be breaking any more rules! And you were the one who told me to stand up to people!"

"Yes, but not to us," said Ron in exasperation. "Neville, you don't know what you're doing."

He tried to take a step towards Neville, but Mia held him back, shaking her head. Neville dropped Trevor and raised his trembling fists, gulping.

"Go on then, try and hit me!" said Neville, standing his ground. "I'm ready!"

At any other time, Mia would have been proud of Neville for being so brave, but now really wasn't the time. She understood how Neville felt, but they couldn't give Snape any more time for a head start. Harry looked desperately at her and Hermione.

"Do something."

Hermione's face turned sad as she pulled out her wand and stepped forward.

"Neville, I'm really, really sorry about this," she said. "PetrificusTotalus!"

Neville's arms instantly snapped to his sides while his legs sprang together and his whole body went rigid. He swayed where he stood and then fell flat on his face, stiff as a board. Mia quickly ran over to him with Hermione so they could roll him over onto his back. Neville stared up at them with wide eyes and Mia felt horrible for what they've done, but they had no choice.

"What've you done to him?" Harry whispered.

"It's the full Body-Bind," said Hermione miserably. "Oh, Neville, I'm so sorry."

"We had to, Neville, no time to explain," said Harry.

"You'll understand later, Neville," said Ron. As he, Harry and Hermione stepped over him, Mia lingered for a moment. She hated to leave Neville like this on the floor, so she snatched a pillow from one of the nearby armchairs, gently lifted his head, and placed the pillow underneath it, that way he was at least a little more comfortable.

"I'm really sorry for this Neville," Mia whispered. "I promise we'll make it up to you, and we'll explain everything afterwards."

"Come on Mia," said Ron. Mia cast one last regretful look at Neville before hurrying over to her friends so they could pull on the invisibility cloak. As soon as they were sure they were all covered, they opened the portrait and stepped outside into the corridor.

**Rate and review please! **


	20. Poison, and Keys, and Plants, Oh My!

**Well guys, here's the next chapter! I can't believe I'm almost done! I'm soooo excited right now, you have no idea! This chapter went by pretty fast, and, once again, I'm sorry for the great similarity to the book, but I did the best I could to make it into my own words. I really hope you all like it, and if there's anything I did wrong, please let me know. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Urgh, all things Harry Potter are not mine!**

Chapter Nineteen: Poison, and Keys, and Plants, Oh My!

MPOV

All four of them were quiet as they made their way through the castle, making sure to move quickly, but silently. Mia's mind was spinning with what they were doing, and she couldn't help but think how completely mental they were for doing this. But it had to be done, or Snape will steal the Stone for Voldemort, and that _mustn't _happen. They continued on towards the first set of stairs, where Mrs. Norris was skulking near the top.

"Oh, let's kick her, just this once," Ron whispered in Harry's ear, but Harry shook his head while Mia smirked, trying to contain her giggles. As they climbed carefully around her, Mrs. Norris turned her lamp like eyes on them, but didn't do anything. Luckily, they were able to not run into anything else as they walked on. However, when they reached the staircase leading up to the third floor corridor, Mia made a silent gasp as they caught sight of Peeves, being his usual self, laughing as he bounced along the steps, loosening the rug so that people will trip. Mia and the others tried to be completely silent, but all at once, Peeves stopped laughing and looked over to where they were standing.

"Who's there?" he said. "Know you're there, even if I can't see you. Are you ghoulie or ghostie or wee student beastie? Should call Filch, I should, if something's a-creeping around unseen."

Mia stood frozen on the steps, not sure of what to do, when Harry suddenly spoke from in front of her.

"Peeves," he said, in a hoarse whisper. "The Bloody Baron has his own reasons for being invisible."

If it wasn't for the seriousness of the situation, Mia would have outright laughed at the look on the poltergeist's face. Peeves nearly toppled over backwards when Harry spoke, his eyes going wide with surprise and an embarrassed expression on his face as his mouth dropped open.

"So sorry, your bloodiness, Mr. Baron, Sir," he said greasily. "My mistake, my mistake—I didn't see you—of course I didn't, you're invisible—forgive old Peevsie his little joke, sir."

"I have business here, Peeves," croaked Harry. "Stay away from this place tonight."

"I will, sir, I most certainly will," said Peeves, rising up in the air again. "Hope your business goes well, Baron, I'll not bother you."

With that, Peeves floated away through the nearest wall and disappeared from sight. Everyone seemed to release the breath they had been holding in, and Ron turned to beam at Harry.

"Brilliant, Harry!" whispered Ron.

"That was amazing!" said Mia. "I don't think anyone has ever managed to pull one over Peeves before!"

Even in the dark, Mia could see Harry's cheeks turn a little pink at the praise, but he just shook it off, telling them they needed to keep going. They made their way up the staircase to see that the door was already ajar. That meant Snape had already gotten past Fluffy. Harry turned to face them underneath the cloak.

"If you want to go back, I won't blame you," he said. "You can take the cloak, I won't need it now."

"Don't be stupid," said Ron.

"We're coming," said Hermione.

"I told you, we're not leaving you," said Mia. Harry gave them a smile before he carefully opened the door all the way. Once they were inside, they immediately saw Fluffy, standing there, growling and drooling, sniffing the air around them, trying to figure out who had just entered. Hermione slowly closed the door behind them, and the four of them stared up at the three headed dog. Harry reached into his pocket and pulled out the wooden flute that Hagrid had made for him for Christmas, pulled it to her lips, and started to play a sift tune. The minute the music started to play, Fluffy's eyes began to droop, and his tense posture began to loosen up. Slowly, the growls ceased and then Fluffy slumped to the ground, fast asleep, his head resting on its paws. As soon as they were sure he was asleep, Mia pulled the invisibility cloak off of them.

"Keep playing," Ron warned Harry. "I think we'll be able to pull the door open. Want to go first, Hermione?"

"No, I don't!"

"All right then," said Ron as he gritted his teeth and stepped carefully over the dog's legs. He bent and pulled the ring of the trapdoor, which swung up and open.

"What can you see?" Hermione said anxiously.

"Nothing—just black—there's no way of climbing down, we'll just have to drop."

Harry, who was still playing the flute, waved at Ron to get his attention and pointed at himself.

"You want to go first? Are you sure?" said Ron. "I don't know how deep this thing goes. Give the flute to Hermione so she can keep him asleep."

Harry nodded, and then he handed the flute over. In the few seconds' silence, the dog growled and twitched, but the moment Hermione began to play, it fell back into its deep sleep. Harry, Mia and Ron, bent over the open door, staring down into the darkness.

"I can't see a thing," said Mia nervously. "How do we know how far it goes?"

"We don't," answered Harry. "All right, I'm going down."

Harry got down on his knees, and then he lowered himself into the hole, holding onto the edge by his fingertips. He looked at Ron and Mia.

"If anything happens to me, don't follow. Go straight to the owlery and send Hedwig to Dumbledore, right?"

"Right," Ron replied, though a little hesitantly.

"Nothing's going to happen to you," Mia said firmly. "Just tell us when it's safe to come down."

Harry nodded at her, and then with one last glance at them, he let go. Mia and Ron watched as harry disappeared past the point where they could see him, and they both waited with bated breath for any sign that he was all right. Hermione didn't stop playing the flute, but her eyes screamed with worry and concern. About a minute or so passed, and Mia was just wondering whether or not to try and call down to him, when they heard his voice echo from below.

"It's okay! It's a soft landing, you can jump!"

"Thank Merlin," Ron breathed. "I'll go next, then I'll call up for you."

Mia nodded at him and watched as Ron leapt through the trapdoor and joined Harry down below. She gripped the edge with trembling fingers, waiting until they gave her the signal.

"Come down, Mia!" she heard Ron call. Mia looked over at Hermione.

"I'll see you in a minute," she said before she took a deep breath and jumped through the hole as well. The scream died in her throat as she fell down into the darkness, the damp air stinging her eyes, and her heart racing against her chest. She didn't know how long she fell for, but in next to no time, she finally landed on something soft and she let out a disgruntled groan as she sat up. Harry and Ron were sitting not far from her, and Mia took a look around. They were inside a dark chamber, and whatever they were sitting on, it seemed to be some sort of plant. There were vines and stems twisting this way and that from underneath them, and Mia knew that this had to be Professor Sprout's protection spell. This plant looked very familiar to her, but she couldn't place what it was…

"What is this?" she asked.

"Not sure," Harry answered. "Come on, Hermione!"

The distant music coming from above them suddenly stopped and Mia could hear the barks of Fluffy soon after wards. Just then, she saw a small shape coming towards them, moving faster and faster, until Mia recognized it as Hermione. The bushy haired girl landed next to Mia, who held out her hand to keep Hermione steady. Hermione thanked her and then stared around.

"Where are we?"

"I don't know, but we must be miles under the school," Mia said.

"Lucky this plant thing's here, really," said Ron.

"Lucky!" shrieked Hermione, her eyes suddenly growing wide with horror. "Look at you all!"

Hermione quickly leapt up and struggled over towards the wall, where she stared at them all in fright. Mia looked down and her insides filled with dread as she saw that the plant was twisting it's vines and tendrils around her legs, and was making its way up her stomach. She immediately tried to break free, but it was useless-the more she struggled, the faster it seemed to wrap around her. Harry and Ron were struggling as well, and after a couple seconds Mia let out a sharp gasp as the vines started wrapping around her mouth, stifling her screams.

"Stop moving!" Hermione shouted to them frantically. "I know what this is—it's Devil's Snare!"

"Oh, I'm so glad we know what it's called, that's a great help," snarled Ron.

"Shut up, I'm trying to remember how to kill it!" said Hermione.

"Well, hurry up, I can't breathe!" Harry gasped, wrestling with it as it curled around his chest. Mia let out a loud whimper as the Devil's Snare began curling around her throat and chest, cutting off her airways.

"Devil's Snare, Devil's Snare… what did Professor Sprout say?" Hermione muttered. "It likes the dark and the damp."

"So light a fire!" Harry choked.

"Yes—of course—but there's no wood!" Hermione cried, wringing her hands.

"HAVE YOU GONE MAD?" Ron bellowed. "ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT?"

"Oh, right!" said Hermione, and she whipped out her wand, waved it, muttered something, and sent a jet of the same bluebell flames she had used on Snape at the plant. In a matter of seconds, the Devil's Snare retracted its vines, loosening its hold on the three children as it retreated from the blazing fire. Mia gasped loudly, taking huge gulps of air as she, Ron and Harry scrambled out of the death trap and joined Hermione over by the wall. Mia doubled over, taking in deep breaths as she tried to regulate her breathing.

"Lucky you pay attention in Herbology, Hermione," said Harry.

"Yeah, and lucky Harry doesn't lose his head in a crisis," said Ron as she patted Mia on the back. "'There's no wood'-honestly."

"Oh, shut up!" Hermione snapped at him. "Mia, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Mia said, straightening herself up. "Come on, we should keep going."

"This way," said Harry, pointing down a stone passageway, which was the only way forward. The four of them made their way down the passage, and for a while, nothing was aid as they walked, and it was eerily quiet all round them, and the coldness made Mia shiver slightly. The passageway seemed to go on for miles, and the sound of their feet echoing through the walls was the only noise. After what seemed like forever, Mia heard a peculiar sound some ways ahead of them. It was a sort of fluttering and clinking sound, something Mia has never heard before.

"Do you guys hear that?" asked Mia.

"Hear what?" said Hermione.

"Up ahead," Mia pointed. "It sounds weird…kind of like wings…"

"I think she's right," Harry said. They cautiously went even further down the passageway until they had reached the very end of it. After walking underneath an archway, the four Gryffindors found themselves in a gigantic chamber, its ceiling raised way above their heads. Flying around the chamber were small birds, fluttering around each other, their bodies seeming to glint in the light. Mia gazed at them curiously. She has never seen birds like these before.

"Do you think they'll attack us if we cross the room?" said Ron.

"Probably," said Harry, glancing upwards. "They don't look very vicious, but I suppose if they all swooped down at once…well, there's no other choice…I'll run."

Harry lifted his arms to cover his face and then ran across the chamber to the heavy wooden door on the other side. Strangely, none of the birds attacked him, or even paid him any attention. Mia breathed a sigh of relief, but it was cut short when Harry tried to open the door.

"It's locked," he said, turning back to them.

"Locked?" Mia repeated. "But how are we supposed to get through?"

"I'm not sure," said Hermione, staring up at the birds. "These birds… they can't be here just for decoration."

"Wait a minute," said Harry, squinting his eyes up at them. "I don't think they're birds…"

"What do you mean?" asked Ron. Mia stared closely at them and saw one of the birds glittering. Wait a minute-

"They're not birds!" Mia said. "They're keys!"

"Winged keys!" Harry added. "Look carefully. So that must mean…yes— look! Broomsticks! We've got to catch the key to the door!"

Mia looked over to where Harry was pointing and her stomach dropped. Standing up against the wall was a group of broomsticks, and Mia shifted uncomfortably on her feet, her face going red.

"Um, I'm sorry guys," she said shamefully. "I—I don't think I'll be able to fly…"

"No that's perfect," Harry countered. "Once we find the key we can throw it down to you, and then you can unlock the door for us."

"But there must be hundreds of the up there!" said Hermione. "How will we know which one to find? It could take ages!"

"Not really," said Ron. He moved across the chamber to stand next to Harry, and examined the keyhole.

"We're looking for a big old fashioned one," he said. "Probably silver like the handle."

"And it might even have a broken wing," said Mia thoughtfully. "If Snape had already snatched it."

"All right then," said Harry, going over to grab a broom. "Let's go."

Mia watched as her three friends rose up into the air and started darting around the chamber, catching keys and letting them go again as they tried to find the right one. Mia felt so stupid and helpless being down on the ground but she couldn't help it. The thought of heights terrified her, and she didn't think she would be much help up there anyway. This frantic search went on for about three minutes before they finally had some luck.

"That one!" Harry suddenly shouted. "That big one—there—no, there—with bright blue wings—the feathers are all crumpled on one side."

Mia looked over in time to see Ron nearly crash is broom while trying to grab hold of the tiny key and she let out a quiet yelp of fright.

"We've got to close in on it!" Harry called. "Ron, you come at it from above — Hermione, stay below and stop it from going down and I'll try and catch it. Right, NOW!"

"Be careful guys!" Mia hollered up to them. She saw how Ron dived, and how Hermione rocketed upward. The key dodged them both, and Harry streaked after it like a bolt of lightning. The key tried to make a getaway, but Harry sped faster and in the next moment, he had it clutched in his hand. All at once, the other keys started attacking him, Ron and Hermione viciously, as if to prevent them from landing so they could unlock the door. Harry fought them off while moving away from the wall and diving towards the ground.

"Mia, catch the key!" he yelled. Once he was close enough, Harry through the key towards her, and Mia leapt high in the air so her fingers could close around the struggling piece of silver. She hurriedly ran over to the door and roughly shoved it into the lock.

"Hurry up!" Ron yelled as he and Hermione swerved around each other to try and outrun the keys. Mia wriggled the key around in the hole until, to her great relief, she heard the soft click of the lock being undone.

"It's open! Come on!" Mia called over her shoulder as she pushed the door open. Harry, Ron, and Hermione all got into a line and made a beeline for the open door, each one of them racing through. As soon as they came through, Mia threw all her strength against the door and slammed it shut just as the keys collided with it on the other side. Mia leaned back against the door and stared at the others as they landed in front of her.

"Are you guys all right?" she asked them.

"Yeah, we're okay," Hermione replied. "You?"

"Yeah, I'm all right," Mia answered with a nod before staring around. "Where are we now?"

None of the others answered her as they too gazed around at their surroundings. It was so dark that they could barely even see what was ahead of them. Mia took a cautious step forward, and as she did, the chamber quickly filled with flickering light from the surrounding torches, lighting up the room instantly. When they were finally able to see, Mia felt her jaw drop when she saw what was in front of them. They were standing on the edge of a giant, life sized chessboard, with the chessmen towering over them, carved out of black and white stone. Mia looked across the board past the white pieces, and she could see the door leading out of the chamber on the other side.

"Now what do we do?" Harry whispered.

"It's obvious, isn't it?" said Ron. "We've got to play our way across the room."

"How?" said Hermione and Mia together.

"I think," said Ron, "we're going to have to be chessmen."

He carefully walked up to a black knight and put his hand out to touch the knight's horse. To their amazement, the stone immediately sprang to life. The horse pawed the ground and the knight turned his helmeted head to look down at Ron.

"Do we—er—have to join you to get across?" Ron asked. The black knight nodded its head, and Ron turned back to face them.

"This needs thinking about…" he said slowly. "I suppose we've got to take the place of four of the black pieces. "Now, don't be offended or anything, but neither of you are that good at chess—"

"We're not offended," said Harry quickly. "Just tell us what to do."

"Well, Harry, you take the place of that bishop. Mia, you take the place of the rook over there, and Hermione, you go there instead of that castle."

"What about you?" said Mia.

"I'm going to be a knight," said Ron.

The chessmen seemed to have been listening, because at these words a knight, a bishop, a rook, and a castle turned their backs on the white pieces and walked off the board, leaving four empty squares that Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Mia took. As Ron took the spot of the night, Mia couldn't help but think how lucky they were to have him with them. It was true that her, Harry, and Hermione were rubbish at chess, so they were going to need all the help they could get. While this was passing through her mind, a sudden thought came to her.

"Ron?" she said. "You don't think-this won't be like _real _Wizard's Chess, will it?"

"I'm not sure," he admitted, staring out across the board to the white side. "We'll have to wait and see. White always plays first in chess. Yes…look…"

A white pawn from the other side had moved forward two spaces. Taking a deep breath, Ron started directing their black pieces across the board, and the game truly began. After a few more turns, Ron had Mia and Harry move a couple spaces, and they followed his directions. Ron had a look of deep concentration on his face, as if he were planning out every single move that he would have to take, weighing his options inside his head. As he continued giving out orders, Mia found herself worrying. She had every faith in Ron to get them through this, but she was also worried about them getting hurt in the process. After a while, Ron told their other knight to move three spaces diagonally, but in the next instant, the white queen came forward and smashed it to the floor, bits of black stone flying anywhere. They all watched as the queen dragged it off the board, and Ron's mouth was agape.

"Yes, Mia," he said after a few seconds. "I think this is going to be exactly like wizard chess. But I had to let that happen-leaves you free to take that bishop, Hermione, go on."

They continued to play, and Mia was impressed as she watched Ron dart across the board, taking almost as many white pieces as they were losing black pieces. This continued on for a little while, and Ron only saw a couple times that Her, Harry and Hermione were in danger of being attacked. The white pieces showed no mercy as they pounced on their black pieces, sometimes knocking them out, and other time, reducing them to rubble. Just as Mia was wondering if the game would ever end, Ron suddenly stopped a few spaces away from her.

"We're nearly there," he muttered. "Let me think—let me think…"

The white queen turned her blank face towards him, and Mia realized what he was about to do, her eyes widening in horror.

"Yes…" said Ron softly. "It's the only way…I've got to be taken."

"NO!" Harry, Mia, and Hermione shouted.

"That's chess!" snapped Ron. "You've got to make some sacrifices! I make my move and she'll take me—that leaves you free to checkmate the king, Harry!"

"But—"

"Do you want to stop Snape or not?"

"There has to be another way!" Mia protested desperately. "Why can't I move, or-"

"Mia, you and Hermione are the smartest witches in our year!" said Ron. "Harry needs the both of you, you're better off moving on! We don't have time to argue about this, if we don't hurry up, Snape will get the Stone!"

Mia wanted to argue back, but she knew she wouldn't win. Ron was right, they couldn't waste any more time. Forcing back the tears that were threatening to fall, Mia gave a stiff nod towards him.

"Okay" Ron said, his face pale but determined. "Here I go—now, don't hang around once you've won. The board might reset itself."

With that being said, Ron bravely took a step forward and the white queen pounced on him in a flash. She struck Ron hard across the head with her stone arm, and he crashed to the floor in a motionless heap on the floor. Hermione screamed while Mia whimpered, covering her mouth with her hand to keep her from screaming as well as she watched the queen drag Ron off to the side, where he laid unconscious, a small bloody scratch on his forehead from where he fell. Mia kept her eyes on him as Harry moved three spaces to the left towards the white king, who took off his crown and threw it at Harry's feet. The game was over. All at once, the remaining white chessmen parted and bowed, clearing the path to the door. Hermione looked very reluctant to leave Ron. Mia walked over to her and gently took her by the arm.

"We have to go Hermione," Mia whispered. "We'll come back for him, I promise."

Hermione sniffed softly and then followed Mia as they went after Harry through the door to the passageway. Mia kept a hold to Hermione's arm as a source of comfort, rubbing it in soothing circles.

"What if he's —?"

"He'll be all right Mione," said Mia reassuringly. "You know how much of a stubborn prat Ron is, it's going to take a lot more than that to bring him down."

Hermione gave a weak chuckle and nodded, a small smile playing across her lips.

"What do you reckon is next?" asked Harry.

"Well, we've had Sprout's, that was the Devil's Snare," said Hermione. "Flitwick must've put charms on the keys; McGonagall transfigured the chessmen to make them alive; that leaves Quirrell's spell, and Snape's."

"Oh joy," Mia mumbled. "I can't wait to see what the Dungeon Bat has put out for us."

The three of them kept on walking until they reached another door that must have led into the next chamber. Glancing at one another, they slowly pushed it open, and Mia nearly lost her dinner right then and there as she gagged, covering her nose with her hand as a foul stench came rushing at them. Eyes watering, they saw, flat on the floor in front of them, a troll even larger than the one they had tackled, out cold with a bloody lump on its head. If it were any other situation, Mia just might have felt sorry for the poor creature. Snape must have carelessly bludgeoned it before making his way through, leaving it bleeding on the floor.

"I'm glad we didn't have to fight that one," Harry whispered as they stepped carefully over one of its massive legs. "One troll was enough. Come on, I can't breathe."

They quickly made their way across the chamber and pushed through the next door, taking gulps of fresh clean air as soon as it was closed behind them. Mia looked around to see that they were yet again in a different chamber, this one faintly lit. There was really nothing in here except for a table with seven different sized shaped and colored bottles grouped together. This must be Snape's test. As soon as they stepped into the room, Mia jumped as she heard a loud crackling sound, and she whipped around to see a fire had sprung up behind them in the doorway, a fire made out of purple flames. And to make matters even worse, another fire sprang up in front of the door leading out of the room. They were trapped.

"Oh no, what are we going to do now?" said Mia.

"Look!" Hermione exclaimed as she seized a roll of paper lying next to the bottles. Harry and Mia both looked over her shoulder to read it:

_Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind,_

_Two of us will help you, whichever you would find,_

_One among us seven will let you move ahead,_

_Another will transport the drinker back instead,_

_Two among our number hold only nettle wine,_

_Three of us are killers, waiting bidden in line._

_Choose, unless you wish to stay here forevermore,_

_To help you in your choice, we give you these clues four:_

_First, however slyly the poison tries to hide_

_You will always find some on nettle wine's left side;_

_Second, different are those who stand at either end,_

_But if you would move onward, neither is your friend;_

_Third, as you see clearly, all are different size,_

_Neither dwarf nor giant holds death in their insides;_

_Fourth, the second left and the second on the right_

_Are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight._

"Incredible!" gasped Mia as she stared at the paper. "As much as I hate to admit it right now, Snape's pretty clever."

"It's brilliant," said Hermione. "This isn't magic—it's logic—a puzzle. A lot of the greatest wizards haven't got an ounce of logic, they'd be stuck in here forever."

"But so will we, won't we?" said Harry.

"Of course not," said Hermione. "Everything we need is here on this paper. Seven bottles: three are poison; two are wine; one will get us safely through the black fire, and one will get us back through the purple."

"But how do we know which to drink?"

"Honestly Harry, do you really have so little faith in us?" asked Mia with a grin. "Just give us a moment."

Mia huddled close to Hermione and read through the puzzle again. _Always find some on nettle wine's left side…different are those who stand at either end…if you would move onward, neither is your friend._ So, that means that neither of the two on the end are the ones that will lead the through the black fire. When she pointed this out to Hermione, she nodded.

"The tallest one must be one of the wines," said Hermione, pointing them out and looking at the paper again. _"Neither dwarf nor giant hold death in their insides. _But where is the one leading onward…?"

Hermione and Mia spent the next few minutes discussing what the different bottles could be, rereading the puzzle and examining the potions thoroughly. They had thankfully counted out the three poisons, and were now trying to find the ones that would lead them through the black fire. Soon enough Mia grinned widely while Hermione clapped her hands together in excitement.

"We've got it," she said. "The smallest bottle will get us through the black fire— toward the Stone."

Mia took the bottle into her hands, and her grin instantly faded. There was very little potion on this bottle, so little it would be a miracle to have a full two sips. That meant no more than two of them could go forward. She looked up at Harry and Hermione, and by their expressions, she could tell they were thinking the same thing.

"Which one will get you back through the purple flames?" asked Harry. Hermione pointed at a rounded bottle at the right end of the line.

"You drink that," said Harry. "No, listen, get back and get Ron. Grab brooms from the flying-key room, they'll get you out of the trapdoor and past Fluffy—go straight to the owlery and send Hedwig to Dumbledore, we need him. I might be able to hold Snape off for a while, but I'm no match for him, really. And take Mia with you, there should be enough in there for both of you."

"What?!" said Mia, dumbfounded. "I'm not going anywhere!"

"Yes you are," Harry ground out. "I'm going on alone."

"Like hell you are," Mia almost growled. "We've been over this before Harry-there's no way I'm letting you do this by yourself!"

"You need to help Ron and Hermione get out," said Harry.

"They'll be fine! Look, I told you from the very beginning that I would always be there for you, and I'm not going to break that promise and leave you at the first sign of danger. We've gotten this far, and we'll go the rest of the way together. I'm coming with you," Mia finished, with a tone of finality. Harry glared at her for a moment but then sighed.

"All right, but if things get bad I want you to run and get help, understand?"

"Fine," said Mia, crossing her fingers inside her sleeve.

"But guys—what if You-Know-Who's with Snape in there?" whispered Hermione.

"Well—I was lucky once, wasn't I?" said Harry, pointing at her scar. "I might get lucky again."

"That's really not a good example, Harry," said Mia with a frown. Harry didn't have time to respond, because at that moment, Hermione threw herself at him, wrapping him up in a tight hug.

"Hermione!"

"Harry—you're a great wizard, you know," Hermione muttered softly.

"I'm not as good as you," said Harry as she let go of her.

"Me!" said Hermione. "Books! And cleverness! There are more important things—friendship and bravery and—oh Harry—be careful! "

Harry nodded, and once Hermione fully let go, she turned to Mia and engulfed her in a bone-crushing hug which Mia returned with all her might.

"You two better come back!" Hermione cried. "Or so help me I'll-I'll-"

"We'll be back, Hermione," said Mia. "I promise."

Hermione sniffled before pulling away from Mia, wiping her wet eyes.

"You drink first," said Harry. "You are sure which is which, aren't you?"

"Positive," said Hermione. She took the round bottle off the table and then took a long drink from it, shuddering.

"It's not poison?" said Harry anxiously.

"No—but it's like ice," Hermione replied with another shudder.

"Quick, go, before it wears off," urged Mia.

"Good luck you guys—take care."

"GO!" Harry and Mia yelled together. Hermione turned and walked straight through the purple fire, disappearing from sight. Mia let out a sigh of relief as she turned to face Harry, who was holding the bottle of potion in his hand.

"Mia…are you sure you want to do this?" Harry asked her, his eyes unusually bright with emotion.

"I'm not leaving you," Mia answered simply. Harry sighed and looked down at the bottle.

"I don't want you to get hurt," he muttered softly. Mia smiled softly and used her hand to make him look at her.

"We'll be fine as long as we're together, right?" she said. "Now and always?"

Harry gave her a smile in return.

"Forever and ever," he added, pulling her in for a brief hug. As soon as they released each other, Harry undid the top of the bottle and raised it to his lips, taking the first sip. He shuddered as he swallowed, handing to over to Mia. She shuddered as well after taking her sip, feeling as if her insides had turned to ice, chilling her to the bone. She set the bottle back down on the table and took Harry's hand in hers, holding it tightly. She gave him an encouraging look as they both turned to face the flames.

"Let's go," she said. Harry nodded, and, moving together, they walked through the flickering flames and into the last chamber.

**Rate and review! Pretty please? Thanks!**


	21. The First Encounter

**Oh…my…God…I'm done! Omgomgomg! I can't believe I finally finished it! This is so amazing, my very first completed fanfiction! Wohooo! I just want to thank all of you who have reviewed, favorited, and followed my story, you have no idea how much it means to me to have your support. Without all of you, I could have never gotten this done. I know this chapter is much longer than my other ones, but since it is the last one, I figured I would give you guys a lot to read. **

**I'm so happy that the first book in this series is done! Just as a note, I am planning on doing all seven years, and I'm going to get started on the second book as soon as I can. The title is basically the same, it's called "You Were Always There: Part Two," nothing special, so keep an eye out for it. I really hope you guys all enjoyed reading this as much as I loved writing it, and I will see you all in The Chamber of Secrets! Love you all and enjoy the last chapter! **

**Disclaimer: All things Harry Potter are not mine. **

Chapter Twenty: The First Encounter

HPOV

Harry kept a tight hold of Mia's hand as they stepped through the fire, and he closed his eyes, bracing himself for whatever was waiting for them on the other side. When they were finally through, he heard Mia gasp sharply beside him, and he opened his eyes. They were in another room, this one faintly lit, and practically empty except for them, and one other person standing no less than ten feet away from this. Harry felt his mind go blank, and his mouth dropped open in completely shock. The person in front of them wasn't Snape, or even Voldemort…

Standing there, in the middle of the room, wearing a cool and collected smirk, was Professor Quirrell.

"You!" Harry gasped.

"Me," Quirrell said calmly. "I wondered whether I'd be meeting you here, Potter. Although I wasn't expecting you to be having company."

"No-you can't-" Mia stuttered, shaking her head in disbelief. "Snape, he-he was-"

"Severus?" Quirrell laughed, and it wasn't his usual quivering treble, either, but cold and sharp. "Yes, Severus does seem the type, doesn't he? So useful to have him swooping around like an overgrown bat. Next to him, who would suspect p-p-poor, st-stuttering P-Professor Quirrell?"

"But Snape tried to kill me!" said Harry refusing to believe what he was seeing. "At that Quidditch match!"

"No, no, no, dear boy. Itried to kill you. Your friend Miss Granger accidentally knocked me over as she rushed to set fire to Snape at that Quidditch match. She broke my eye contact with you. Another few seconds and I'd have got you off that broom. I'd have managed it before then if Snape hadn't been muttering a counter curse, trying to save you."

"You mean Snape was trying to _save_ me?" asked Harry, his eyes wide.

"Of course," said Quirrell. "Why do you think he wanted to referee your next match? He was trying to make sure I didn't do it again. Funny, really… he needn't have bothered. I couldn't do anything with Dumbledore watching. All the other teachers thought Snape was trying to stop Gryffindor from winning, he did make himself unpopular… and what a waste of time, when after all that, I'm going to kill the both of you tonight."

Quirrell snapped his fingers, and then ropes sprang out of thin air and wrapped themselves tightly around Harry and Mia. Mia let out a startled yelp and lost her balance, falling to the ground on her side.

"Mia!" said Harry. "Let her go!"

"I don't think so Potter. You and your little friend are too nosey to live. Scurrying around the school on Halloween like that, for all I knew you'd seen me coming to look at what was guarding the Stone."

"_You_ let the troll in?" said Mia from the ground as she struggled.

"Certainly" replied Quirrell. "I have a special gift with trolls—you must have seen what I did to the one in the chamber back there? Unfortunately, while everyone else was running around looking for it, Snape, who already suspected me, went straight to the third floor to head me off—and not only did my troll fail to beat you to death, that three-headed dog didn't even manage to bite Snape's leg off properly. Now, wait quietly, you two. I need to examine this interesting mirror."

Harry was confused at first to what Quirrell was talking about, but when he saw what was behind him, he suddenly understood-it was the Mirror of Erised, Dumbledore's protection. He looked down at Mia and saw that she noticed it too. They shared a glance at each other, and Harry knew they were thinking the same thing. Quirrell must not know how to work the mirror, or else he would have had the stone by now.

"This mirror is the key to finding the Stone," Quirrell murmured, tapping his way around the frame. "Trust Dumbledore to come up with something like this…but he's in London…I'll be far away by the time he gets back…"

"Harry, we can't let him get the Stone," Mia barely whispered to him. "We have to distract him."

Harry nodded, then said loudly, "I saw you and Snape in the forest—"

"Yes," said Quirrell, walking around the mirror to look at the back. "He was on to me by that time, trying to find out how far I'd got. He suspected me all along. Tried to frighten me—as though he could, when I had Lord Voldemort on my side…"

Quirrell came back out from behind the mirror and stared hungrily into it. Mia struggled even more against the ropes binding her, wriggling around on the ground.

"It's no use, Thatcher," Quirrell said without turning around. You're not going anywhere."

"Of course I'm not," Mia growled. "As soon as I get out of these I'm going to kick your sorry arse into the next century!"

Quirrell lips curled into a cold smirk, but then faded again as he continued to stare into the mirror.

"I see the Stone…I'm presenting it to my master…but where is it?" he muttered.

Harry also struggled against the ropes binding him, but they didn't give. He had to keep Quirrell from giving his whole attention to the mirror.

"But Snape always seemed to hate me so much," he said.

"Oh, he does," said Quirrell with a nod. "Heavens, yes. He was at Hogwarts with your father, didn't you know? They loathed each other. But he never wanted you dead."

"Well, that's comforting," Harry heard Mia mumble.

"But I heard you a few days ago, sobbing," Harry continued. "I thought Snape was threatening you…"

All at once, Quirrell's confident expression seemed to falter, and a look of fear came across his face, his strong posture slacking, and his eyes possessing a haunted look in them.

"Sometimes," he said, "I find it hard to follow my master's instructions—he is a great wizard and I am weak—"

"You mean he was there in the classroom with you?" Mia gasped, her face growing extremely pale and her eyes filled with horror.

"He is with me wherever I go," said Quirrell quietly. "I met him when I travelled around the world. A foolish young man I was then, full of ridiculous ideas about good and evil. Lord Voldemort showed me how wrong I was. There is no good and evil, there is only power, and those too weak to seek it…since then, I have served him faithfully, although I have let him down many times. He has had to be very hard on me. He does not forgive mistakes easily. When I failed to steal the stone from Gringotts, he was most displeased. He punished me…decided he would have to keep a closer watch on me…"

Quirrell's voice trailed away, and Harry was remembering his trip to Diagon Alley—how could he have been so stupid? He'd seen Quirrell there that very day, shaken hands with him in the Leaky Cauldron when he went shopping with Hagrid.

"Harry," Mia whispered. He turned to see that Mia was looking at him, her eyes still portraying her fear, and her body shaking slightly.

"It'll be okay Mia," Harry whispered back. "I won't let him hurt you."

"I have a really bad feeling," she said quietly. "He said Voldemort is with him wherever he goes…"

Mia didn't elaborate, for at that moment, Quirrell cursed loudly in frustration as he continued looking into the mirror.

"I don't understand…is the Stone inside the mirror? Should I break it?" he mused out loud.

Harry's mind was racing. What was he going to do? He had to get Mia out of here, and he had to stop Quirrell from getting the Stone. But how? He peered around Quirrell to stare at the Mirror of Erised and then it suddenly came to him. That's it! If he concentrated hard enough, he could have the mirror show him how to get the Stone.

_What I want more than anything else in the world at the moment,_ he thought, _is to find the Stone before Quirrell does. So if I look in the mirror, I should see myself finding it — which means I'll see where it's hidden! But how can I look without Quirrell realizing what I'm up to? _

Harry was brought back out of his thoughts by Quirrell cursing again.

"What does this mirror do? How does it work? Help me, Master!" he said.

And, to Harry and Mia's horror, a voice answered, and the voice seemed to come from Quirrell himself, though he couldn't see how.

"Use the boy…use the boy…"

"Yes," said Quirrell. "Potter—come here."

"No!" said Mia, struggling even more against the ropes. "Don't you touch him!"

"Silence!" Quirrell snapped at her. He clapped his hands once, and the ropes binding Harry disappeared instantly. Harry glanced over at Mia and saw that she was still tied up.

"Come here," repeated Quirrell.

"I'm not doing anything until you let Mia go," said Harry. Quirrell narrowed his eyes, then he lifted his hand in a threatening way, as if he were about to perform a curse. Harry's heart nearly stopped beating as he saw that Quirrell's hand was not directed at him, but at Mia.

"Do as I say Potter, or I'll kill her right now." he said. "Now come here, look in the mirror and tell me what you see."

Harry swallowed the lump in his throat, and after one more glance at Mia, he started walking towards Quirrell, his mind going on overdrive as he tried to think of a plan_. I must lie,_ he thought desperately_. I must look and lie about what I see, that's all._ _I need to stall in order to get Mia and me to safety._ As Harry passed Quirrell, he moved close behind him. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath stepped in front of the mirror, and opened them again.

He saw his reflection, pale and scared-looking at first, and he also saw Mia in the background, looking just as scared as he was. But a moment later, his reflection smiled at him. It put its hand into its pocket and pulled out a lumpy blood-red stone that fit perfectly into the palm of his hand. It winked and put the Stone back in its pocket. And as it did so, Harry felt something heavy drop into his real pocket. Somehow—incredibly-he'd gotten the Stone. He did it.

"Well?" said Quirrell impatiently. "What do you see?"

"I see myself shaking hands with Dumbledore," Harry invented quickly. "I—I've won the house cup for Gryffindor."

"Get out of the way," Quirrell snarled, pushing Harry aside. Harry started to move backwards, feeling the Sorcerer's Stone against his leg. He slowly made his way back to Mia while Quirrell was once again examining the mirror. Once he was next to her, he bent down and began to untie her, his fingers trembling with the ropes. The minute he had her free, he pulled her up and held her to his side.

"Are you okay?" he asked her.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she answered. "But what about the Stone? Did you see anything, or-"

Harry shook his head at her, but he moved his sight down to his pocket, silently telling her to do the same. She did, and her look of confusion soon turned into one of realization. Her mouth hung open slightly, her expression one of shock, but before she could say anything, they heard that horrible, cold and bodiless voice speak again.

"He lies…he lies…"

"Potter, come back here!" Quirrell shouted. "Tell me the truth! What did you just see?"

"Let me speak to him…face-to-face…"

"Master, you are not strong enough!" said Quirrell.

"I have strength enough…for this…"

Quirrell nodded his head, and then he reached up, untucked his turban, and slowly started to unwrap it. A great feeling of unease settled in Harry's stomach, and he found himself standing protectively in front of Mia, and she clung to his arm tightly. The turban grew smaller and smaller as Quirrell removed it from his head, and soon enough it fell away, landing in a pile on the floor. At first nothing seemed to happen, but then Quirrell slowly turned on the spot, exposing the back of his head to them.

Harry felt as if his insides had turned to ice, and a feeling of dread plunged into his stomach. Mia let out a scream, clinging to Harry's arm even tighter, her hand clapping over her mouth and her face going three shades whiter. They both stared at what should have been the back of Quirrell's head, only to be met with a horrible, pale face, with a snake-like nose, its gleaming red eyes boring into them and an evil sneer on its face. Harry felt Mia begin to shake and he instinctively grasped her hand.

"Harry Potter…" it whispered.

"Voldemort," Harry breathed.

"You see what I've become?" Voldemort said. "Mere shadow and vapor…I have form only when I can share another's body…but there have always been those willing to let me into their hearts and minds…like a mere parasite. Unicorn blood has strengthened me, these past weeks…you saw faithful Quirrell drinking it for me in the forest…and once I have the Elixir of Life, I will be able to create a body of my own. Now…why don't you give me that Stone in your pocket?"

"H-he knows," Mia whispered in Harry's ear. Harry grabbed Mia's hand more tightly and took a step backwards with her.

"Don't be fools," snarled the face. "Why suffer horrific deaths when you two can join me and live…or you'll meet the same end as your parents, Harry…They died begging me for mercy…"

"LIAR!" Harry shouted, his hand clenching into a fist at the mention of his parents.

"How touching…" Voldemort hissed maliciously. "I always value bravery. Yes, boy, your parents were brave…I killed your father first, and he put up a courageous fight…but your mother needn't have died…she was trying to protect you. Your friend doesn't have to die either, such powerful magic should not be wasted. What do you think, Amelia? You and Harry can have wonders beyond your wildest dreams. All you have to do is give me the Stone, unless you want to watch him die in vain like his parents."

"NEVER!" Harry and Mia yelled together, then they both whipped around and started running towards the flame door, with Harry clutching Mia's hand tightly.

"SEIZE THEM!" Voldemort screamed. In the next second, Harry felt Mia's hand being wrenched out of his grasp and he turned to see Quirrell throw her roughly to the ground.

"Mia!" Harry cried. He tried to rush over to her, but at that moment Quirrell's hand closed around his wrist. At once, a needle-sharp pain seared across Harry's scar and he felt as if his head was about to split in two. He yelled in terrible agony, struggling with all his might, and to his surprise, Quirrell let go of him. His scar was flaring and his vision was getting blurry, but he still looked around wildly to see where Quirrell had gone, and saw him hunched in pain, looking at his fingers. Harry was stunned to see that they were blistering before his eyes, even smoking at the tips.

"Seize him! SEIZE HIM!" shrieked Voldemort. Quirrell reacted instantly, getting to his feet and knocking Harry straight to the ground, landing on top of him. Both of his hands closed around Harry's neck, and Harry screamed out as his scar was nearly blinded him with pain. Through his bleary eyes, he could see that Quirrell was also shouting in pain.

"Master, I cannot hold him—my hands—my hands!" said Quirrell, letting go of Harry's neck, but keeping him pinned with his knees.

"Then kill him, fool, and be done!" screeched Voldemort. Quirrell raised his hand to perform a deadly curse, but there was a loud shout of "NO!", and in the next moment, Mia leapt onto Quirrell's back and wrapped one arm around Quirrell's neck while trying to cover Voldemort's eyes with her other hand.

"Leave him alone!" she screamed, hanging on tightly as Quirrell struggled to get her off of him.

"Foolish girl!" Voldemort yelled. "Kill her!"

With a frustrated growl, Quirrell finally managed to remove Mia's hand from around his neck. Before Harry could blink, there was a loud _bang_, and Mia was sent flying through the air. Harry watched in horror as her body smacked into the closest wall and she fell to the floor in a crumpled heap, her body unmoving and still.

"MIA!" Harry hollered frantically, feeling as though a ball of ice had been dropped into his stomach. With an angry cry, Harry reached up and grabbed Quirrell's face with his hands, desperate to get out from under him.

"AAAARGH!" Quirrell yelled, quickly jumping off of Harry, allowing the boy to quickly stand up. Leaving Quirrell hollering in pain, Harry ran over to Mia's side, dropping down beside her. He carefully rolled her over and saw that her eyes were closed, her pale face was scratched up, and a thin trail of blood was running down the side of her head from where it made contact with the wall.

"No, Mia please, wake up!" said Harry desperately. "Please Mia, wake up!"

Mia didn't respond and before Harry could do anything else, he felt a hand grip his shoulder, jerking him away from her. He looked up to see Quirrell's red, swollen and blistered face, scrunched up in pain and fury, and his eyes squinted, as if it hurt to keep them open. Harry suddenly knew what to do, and before Quirrell could harm him, he him by the arm, and hung on as tight as he could. Quirrell screamed and tried to throw Harry off—the pain in Harry's head was building, and he couldn't see anything—he could only hear Quirrell's terrible shrieks and Voldemort's yells of, "KILL HIM! KILL HIM!" and other voices, maybe in Harry's own head, crying, "Harry! Harry!"

He felt Quirrell's arm wrenched from his grasp, and he fell down to the ground. All he could see around him were mindless shapes and shadows, and every sound was muffled to his ears. He felt himself searching blindly through the darkness for Mia, and he could just make out her limp figure in front of him, still lying perfectly still.

"Mia…_Mia_…"

Harry could do nothing as the darkness overcame him, and he fell down into silence and emptiness.

MPOV

For the longest time, Mia could hear and see nothing but black, and silence. Her body felt stiff, and her limbs were very heavy. Yet after a while, she felt herself become more awake. She could start to feel soreness in her muscles, and even though she knew her eyes were closed, she could see bright light, and feel warm rays of sun on her face. What was going on? Where was she? Mia shifted slightly, and by what she could tell, she was laying on some sort of bed. With some difficulty, her eyes slowly fluttered open, and she shut them again quickly, nearly blinded by the daylight that met her gaze. She tried again, this time letting herself adjust to the light, and after blinking a couple times, Mia saw that she was staring up at a high ceiling. She took a moment to gather her surroundings, and tried to sit up in the bed she was in. She hissed softly as her muscles screamed at her from the sudden movement, but she ignored it as she looked around.

It looked as if she was sitting on one of the beds in the Hospital Wing. The sunlight was streaming in through the open window, and Mia noticed that she was wearing some hospital pajamas, tucked securely into the covers. Everything was quiet as she stared around her, her mind trying to catch up with what was going on. Why was she in the Hospital Wing? The last thing she remembered was her and Harry running towards a door, and-

"Harry!" Mia gasped, worry swelling in her chest as everything came rushing back to her. She remembered Quirrell knocking Harry to the ground, how she jumped on Quirrell's back to try to get him off of him, being thrown against the wall, and hearing Voldemort's "Kill him!" But what happened after that? Where is Voldemort now? _Where is Harry? _Mia pulled off the covers and stood up from the bed. She immediately wished she hadn't, because a stabbing pain shot through her head, and she moaned loudly, her knees buckling and making her drop to the ground, holding her head in her hands. She realized that her head was wrapped in a bandage and she winced when she touched the source of the pain.

"Miss Thatcher! What do you think you are doing out of bed?!"

Mia looked over to see Madame Pomfrey hurrying towards her, her expression stern yet full of worry. The old matron quickly bent down by Mia's side and helped her up, forcing her to sit down on the bed.

"You should be resting!" said Madame Pomfrey. "You can't be up walking around just yet."

"Where's Harry?" said Mia. "Is he okay?"

"Now, just relax Miss Thatcher," said Madame Pomfrey, pushing on her shoulders to lay her back down against the pillows. "Don't get yourself worked up, it won't do your head any good."

"Please Madame Pomfrey, where is Harry?" asked Mia.

"Mr. Potter is just fine," Madame Pomfrey said soothingly. "He's unconscious right now, but he's going to be just fine. You two are lucky to even be alive."

Mia gradually relaxed, letting out a breath she didn't know she was holding in. He's okay. Harry's okay.

"Where is he?"

"He's in the bed right over there," replied Madame Pomfrey, pointing. Mia looked over to see the bed right next to hers on the left was closed off by some curtains, obscuring its occupant from view.

"Can I see him?" she asked.

"Not quite yet," said Madame Pomfrey, reaching into her apron pocket and pulling out a small phial of silver liquid. "You still need to rest and heal, the both of you have been out for a little over a day. Everyone's been extremely worried. Take this, it will help with the pain."

Mia took the phial from Madame Pomfrey, undid the cork, and drank from it. It was like the potion she had to drink with Harry to get through the black flames-it felt like ice running through her veins and she shivered. Madame Pomfrey pulled out another phial and handed it over to Mia.

"This is a Dreamless Sleeping Potion, it'll help you rest."

"But I don't want to rest," said Mia. "I'm fine, really."

"Miss Thatcher, you have been through a terrible ordeal, I think it's best if you-"

"Well now," came a sudden voice. "It looks like you're starting to do better, Miss Thatcher."

Mia looked up to see Professor Dumbledore strolling into the ward, a smile on his face.

"Professor!" said Mia, once again throwing back her covers and attempting to stand up.

"For heaven's sake child, stay down!" said Madame Pomfrey, taking hold of Mia's shoulders and forcing her back down.

"Professor, what happened?" said Mia. "Did Quirrell get the Stone? Is Voldemort gone? What about Ron and Hermione, are they all right-"

"Relax yourself my dear girl," said Dumbledore as he came to stand beside the bed. "You need to save your strength."

"But the Stone-"

"The Stone is gone, Miss Thatcher," Dumbledore said. There was a brief silence as Mia stared at the headmaster.

"Gone?" she repeated blankly.

"Indeed it is. Poppy, could you please give Miss Thatcher and I a moment?" asked Dumbledore.

"Albus, this girl needs her rest, she cannot get worked up," Madame Pomfrey insisted.

"I assure you, this will not take long, and I'll have her take her potion before I leave," said Dumbledore. Madame Pomfrey looked like she wanted to object, but she just sighed and nodded, bustling away towards her office. Once the door was closed, Dumbledore walked to the end of Mia's bed and sat on it.

"How are you feeling Mia?" he asked her.

"I-I'm doing all right," Mia answered, shocked to hear Dumbledore address her by her first name. "My head still hurts, but other than that, I'm okay. Sir, what happened? What happened to Quirrell?"

"Quirrell, I'm afraid, is gone," said Dumbledore. "You are a little behind in the times. After you fell unconscious, Quirrell passed away."

"But how?" said Mia.

"What do you remember of last night, Mia?" asked Dumbledore.

"Well…Harry and I were trying to keep Quirrell from getting the Stone. And…and Voldemort was there too," Mia said with a shiver. "He was on the back of Quirrell's head. We had no idea it was actually Quirrell who was after the Stone. Voldemort told us that Quirrell has been-he's been drinking the blood of Unicorn's to keep him strong until they could steak the Stone. He tried to make Harry get the Stone for him, or else he would kill me. Harry lied about what he saw in the Mirror of Erised, because somehow he got the Stone. It was in his pocket. Voldemort knew he was lying, and when we tried to run, Quirrell pushed me away and knocked Harry to the ground. He was strangling him, so I jumped on top of Quirrell to get him off. Then Quirrell threw me against the wall, and that's the last thing I remember."

"Do you remember what happened to Quirrell when Harry touched him?" said Dumbledore.

"He…he burned up," Mia replied slowly. "His hands were red, and blistering, but I don't know why."

"I believe when Harry saw you fall, he grabbed Quirrell's face," Dumbledore explained. "And at some point Harry grabbed Quirrell's arm and wouldn't let go. By the time I got there, both Harry and Quirrell were screaming in pain, but I was able to get Quirrell off of him before it was too late."

"T-too late?" Mia squeaked.

"If Harry had held on a minute longer, he could have perished," said Dumbledore softly. Mia looked down at her hands in her lap, her shoulders shaking. Tears started welling in her eyes and soon came trickling down her face. This is all her fault. Harry's hurt, and it's her fault…

"Now, now, Mia, there's no need to cry," said Dumbledore gently.

"I-it's my f-fault," Mia cried. "I couldn't p-protect Harry. He hurt because of m-me."

"It's not your fault Mia," said Dumbledore. "There is nothing for you to be guilty for. Harry is just fine, he might be unconscious for a little while, but he'll be okay. You did a very brave thing, your love for Harry helped him defeat Quirrell. And I must say, it is probably his love for you that gave him the strength to hold on as long as he did."

Mia sniffed and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.

"But I still don't understand," she said. "Why couldn't Quirrell touch Harry?"

Dumbledore sighed.

"You must understand something Mia," he said. "Quirrell was touched be greed, power, and a darkness one could scarcely even imagine. It grew even worse when Quirrell shared his soul with Voldemort. His heart was consumed with such coldness and evil, there was hardly any going back. Voldemort saw this and took Quirrell's weakness to his advantage. You see, Mia, Harry mother died trying to save him. She sacrificed herself for him. If there is one thing on this earth that Voldemort can never understand, it is love. Voldemort didn't realize that a love as powerful as Harry's mother's leaves its own mark. Not a scar, no visible sign…to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever. It is in his very skin. Quirrell, full of hatred, greed, and ambition, sharing his soul with Voldemort, could not touch Harry for this reason. It was agony to touch a person marked by something so good. And the strong bond that you and Harry share, that special kind of love that you two have, it made Quirrell's pain all the worse."

Mia sat quietly as Dumbledore talked, her mind digesting what he was telling her. From what she heard, Harry's mother used an old, ancient charm that most modern wizards today never truly think about. Love is more powerful than anyone might think, and it was Lily Potter's love that saved her son that night ten years ago. If Harry was left with that kind of protection, then maybe Voldemort won't be able to hurt him. She nodded slowly at Dumbledore, wiping away the last of her tears.

"Voldemort got away, didn't he?" she asked. "He's still out there."

"Yes, Mia, he is," answered Dumbledore. "He left Quirrell to die shortly after I arrived."

"You got Hermione's owl?"

"We must have crossed in midair," he replied. "Once I arrived at the Ministry, I realized the place I needed to be was the one I had just left."

"But they're okay?" said Mia.

"They're both just fine," said Dumbledore, smiling at her. "And as for the Stone, it has been destroyed."

"What?" said Mia, flabbergasted. "But your friend-Flamel-"

"Oh, you know about Nicolas?" said Dumbledore, sounding quite delighted. "My, my, you four did do the thing properly, didn't you? Well, Nicolas and I have had a little chat, and agreed it's all for the best."

"But that means he and his wife will die, won't they?"

"They have enough Elixir stored to set their affairs in order and then, yes, they will die."

"Oh," said Mia sadly.

"No need to worry for them, Mia," said Dumbledore. "They have lived for a very long time, and I feel that they might be ready to move on."

"I suppose," said Mia softly. Dumbledore's smile grew and he gestured to the phial in her hands.

"I suggest you drink that, or Madame Pomfrey will have both of our heads," he chuckled. "I will inform Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger of your recovery, and that they may visit you after dinner when you are awake."

"Thank you Professor," said Mia. Dumbledore reached over and patted her shoulder before standing up from the bed and leaving the ward. Mia glanced down at the bottle in her hands, then she sighed, and raised it to her lips, taking a long sip. She barely even lasted three minutes before the potion started to take its effect. Mia yawned before, laying her head back against the pillows and closing her eyes, letting sleep take her.

…

The next day, Mia's head was no longer in pain, and all her scratches were healed. Madame Pomfrey allowed her to leave the Hospital Wing around midday, but before she left, she went over to check on Harry. He looked peaceful as he laid there sleeping, and Mia silently thanked God for letting him get out of there alive. She didn't know what she would do if she lost him. Mia stayed with Harry for a little while, just talking to him even though she knew he couldn't hear her. She told him how the entire school found out about their little adventure with Quirrell and the Stone, and how everyone was talking about it. She told him that Ron and Hermione were both fine, and she was planning on bringing them back with her later on to see him. She also told him, while laughing of course, how everyone seemed to buy out the entire sweetshop for him. The table at the end of his bed consisted of everything from chocolate frogs to peppermint toads. There were also many gift cards as well, al wishing him a speedy recovery. Mia doubled over laughing when Madame Pomfrey informed her that Fred and George had tried to smuggle in a toilet seat for Harry, hoping to cheer him up, and it wasn't until the matron shooed her out that Mia finally decided to leave.

Mia was glad to see that Ron and Hermione were okay, and they, of course, milked her for every detail on what happened in the chamber with Quirrell. Of course, they weren't the only ones, for nearly the whole school wanted to know the truth of what happened, and Mia instantly felt sorry for Harry while she was practically being chased by other first years for the full story. Her, Ron and Hermione visited Harry often, just talking to him, and they also stayed with him while the last Quidditch game of the season went on outside, Gryffindor vs. Ravenclaw. Without Harry, Gryffindor was crushed, and even though Ravenclaw won, they still didn't have enough points to overtake Slytherin. Malfoy has been in an unbearingly good mood ever since, and Mia had taken to avoiding the little snake whenever she could, just for the sake of saving herself from strangling him.

However, Mia did have a nice distraction from worrying about Harry-Hagrid had come to her in the Great Hall, and after calming him down (for he was sobbing and apologizing profusely for telling Quirrell about Fluffy), he gave her a stack of photographs that he had received from the people he wrote letters to. Mia beamed as she sorted through them , looking into the smiling faces of James and Lily Potter.

"Hagrid, this is wonderful!" Mia had said. "Thank you so much, I couldn't have done it without you!"

"It's no problem Mia," said Hagrid. "I think Harry will like 'em. Should have enough ter make yer album. Mind you, tha' Remus Lupin sent me most of 'em, he was happy ter help out."

"Remus Lupin?"

"Yeah, good ol' friend of Harry's dad," said Hagrid. "Went ter school with him, years ago."

That night before she went to bed, Mia stayed up putting all the pictures her and Hagrid had gathered in the album, which she had received in the mail while she was in the hospital. It was red and leather bound, and Mia even had it personalized, so the letters _J&L _were stamped across the front, in the middle of intertwining vines. Hermione had helped her, and it only took them about fifteen minutes to do, although half the time was spent just looking at the pictures. By the time they finally went to bed, the album was finished, and wrapped up in paper.

The following day, Mia, Ron and Hermione were just coming down from the common room, intending on going to see Harry, when they were stopped by Professor McGonagall at the end of the corridor.

"Oh, there you are," she said. "I was just on my way to find you."

"Is something wrong professor?" asked Hermione.

"No, nothing is wrong Miss Granger," said McGonagall. "I just wanted to inform you that Mr. Potter is awake, and you can-"

Professor McGonagall barely had the chance to say another word before the three Gryffindors went racing past her, with Mia in the lead. They practically flew down the corridors and down the many flights of steps before they came at a stop outside the Hospital Wing doors just as Madame Pomfrey was going in.

"Oh no you don't," she said quickly as she spotted them approaching. "He's barely been up two hours-"

"Please Madame Pomfrey?" said Mia. "We've been dying to see him! Just a few minutes?"

"Absolutely not!" said Madame Pomfrey strictly. "He needs his rest-"

_"Pleeeeeeeease?" _Mia and the others said in unison. Madame Pomfrey gave them a stern glare before huffing and telling them to wait a moment before going inside. The seconds ticked away as they waited and Mia was gripping the strap of her bag tightly-Harry's album was inside and she really wanted to give it to him. After what felt like forever, Madame Pomfrey reappeared at the door and pulled it open for them.

"You may come in, but I mean it, five minutes only."

Mia paid her no mind as she, Ron and Hermione all dashed inside.

"HARRY!" they all yelled together, racing towards the black haired boy that was sitting up in bed, looking a little bit tired, but perfectly healthy. Hermione looked ready to fling her arms around him, but she seemed to stop herself at the last minute. Mia, however, couldn't help herself as she threw her arms around Harry, tackling him onto the bed, and grinning from ear to ear.

"Mia!" he said happily, hugging her in return. "You're okay!"

"Of course I'm okay, you git!" she said as she released him. "I told you before, it take more than that to bring me down, especially some wimpy Dark Lord. As far as I'm concerned he's an ugly little dungball who needs a good kick in the-"

"Mia!" said Hermione while Ron laughed. "Stop laughing Ron, it's not funny! Oh, Harry, we were sure you were going to—Dumbledore was so worried—"

"The whole school's talking about it," said Ron once he calmed down some. "Mia told us what really happened though. We were really worried about you two mate, especially Hermione. She nearly had kittens when they brought Mia in."

Hermione responded to this by whacking Ron in the back of the head, scowling.

"Mia told us that Dumbledore said the Stone was destroyed," said Hermione. "Is it true?"

"Yes," said Harry.

"So the Stone's gone?" said Ron. "Flamel's just going to die?"

"That's what I said," said Harry. "But Dumbledore thinks that—what was it?—'to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.'"

"I always said he was off his rocker," said Ron, looking quite impressed at how crazy his hero was. The four friends continued talking for a little while. Mia was so happy that Harry was okay. They told Harry about Slytherin winning the House Cup and about the confiscated toilet seat that Fred and Gorge tried to send him, which made Harry laugh. After about ten minutes, Mia suddenly remembered the album that was in her bag. She gave a pointed look to Hermione, and thankfully, she understood.

"Ron, let's go get some lunch," said Hermione. "We can bring some up for Harry as well."

"Hermione, lunch isn't for another half hour-"

"Then we better get there early, then," Hermione added, giving Ron a look. Grumbling under his breath, Ron followed Hermione out of the ward, leaving Harry and Mia alone. She sighed at them, shaking her head, but when she turned back to Harry, she was caught off guard by the boy pulling her into another fierce hug.

"I'm so happy you're okay Mia," Harry whispered. "I was so scared. When you fell, you were bleeding, you weren't moving, and I-I thought…"

"Harry, it's okay," said Mia, wrapping her arms around his waist. "I'm okay, really. I was more worried about you. I'm so sorry I couldn't protect you."

"Don't be," said Harry as they let go of each other, smiling. Mia smiled back at him before reaching into her bag.

"I have something for you," she said, suddenly nervous.

"What?" said Harry as he watched her take out a wrapped parcel. "Mia you didn't have to get me anything."

"I wanted to," said Mia. "Remember how I kept talking to teachers a couple weeks ago, and you, Ron and Hermione asked what I was up to? Well, this is it."

She handed the parcel to Harry and watched anxiously as he tore off the paper. He looked at the leather cover with interest, and then he opened it up to the first page. His eyes widened in shock, his mouth dropping open, and she could have sworn she saw his eyes tear up a little bit. Staring up at him from every picture was his mother and father, smiling and waving. He kept flicking through the album with trembling fingers, gazing longingly into his parent's faces. After a while he looked up at Mia, appearing speechless.

"Mia," he whispered. "How…?"

"Hagrid helped me make it," she said, a blush coming to her cheeks. "He sent letters to all your parent's old school friends for some while I asked the teachers if they had any. I know you don't have any and well, I thought you might like it. It took longer than I expected, and I'm sorry I couldn't get much more, I just-"

Mia was cut off as Harry once again leaned over and grabbed her into a hug, saying "Thank you," over and over again. Mia hugged him back just as Madame Pomfrey came over.

"All right, you've had nearly fifteen minutes," she said. "Now off you go!"

…

The night of the End of the Year Feast came very quickly. As soon as Madame Pomfrey deemed Harry well enough to leave, Mia met him outside the hospital doors and they went down to the feast together. They chatted as they walked down the marble staircase, and just as they reached the entrance hall, they found their path blocked by Fred and George, both of whom were looking a little sheepish. Before Harry or Mia could say anything, the two Weasleys started talking at once.

"We're sorry Harry, we've acted like real prats-"

"We shouldn't have treated you the way we did, it wasn't right-"

"The Cup isn't that much of a big deal, there's still next year-"

"We felt bad after hearing what happened to you and Mia-"

"Couldn't deal with the guilt mate-"

"So we just wanted to say-"

"We're sorry," they finished together. Mia giggled at the confused and astonished look on Harry's face. He looked as if someone told him that he was going to marry Draco Malfoy. As soon as he snapped out of it, he smiled at Fred and George.

"Don't worry about it guys," Harry said. "What's done is done."

"Thanks mate," said Fred. "We honestly felt like jerks. We apologized to Hermione and Neville already, and we promise not to be such stupid hypocrites again."

"And we extend our apologies to you, dear lady," said George, turning to Mia. "Can you ever find it in your heart to forgive us nincompoops?"

Mia giggled again and pulled her favorite twins in for a hug, reaching up on her tiptoes.

"Of course I do," she answered brightly. "Now let's go eat."

The four of them made their way into the Great Hall, which was decorated in green and silver, to celebrate Slytherin's victory at attaining the House Cup. The Slytherins in general were looking extremely smug as Harry and Mia walked past, taking their seats next to Ron and Hermione at the Gryffindor table. Everyone continued to chat, and when Dumbledore stood up from his chair, the entire hall fell silent.

"Another year gone!" Dumbledore said cheerfully. "And I must trouble you with an old man's wheezing waffle before we sink our teeth into our delicious feast. What a year it has been! Hopefully your heads are all a little fuller than they were…you have the whole summer ahead to get them nice and empty before next year starts. Now, as I understand it, the house cup here needs awarding, and the points stand thus: In fourth place, Gryffindor, with three hundred and twelve points; in third, Hufflepuff, with three hundred and fifty-two; Ravenclaw has four hundred and twenty-six and Slytherin, four hundred and seventy-two."

Mia scowled as students from Slytherin House started cheering and hollering, jumping in their seats and banging their goblets on the table. She internally groaned and had to remind herself that there was always next year.

"Yes, yes, well done, Slytherin," said Dumbledore. "However, recent events must be taken into account."

The room went very still. The Slytherins' smiles faded a little, and Mia perked up in her seat, her full attention on Dumbledore.

"Ahem," said Dumbledore. "I have a few last-minute points to dish out. Let me see. Yes…first—to Mr. Ronald Weasley. For the best-played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor house thirty points."

Gryffindor cheers nearly raised the bewitched ceiling, and the stars overhead seemed to quiver. Percy could be heard telling the other prefects, "My brother, you know! My youngest brother! Got past McGonagall's giant chess set!" Mia clapped and cheered as every else who was close to Ron gave him pats on the back, while he sat there, his face bright red. The cheering kept going until Dumbledore spoke again.

"Second—to Miss Hermione Granger…for the use of cool logic in the face of fire, I award Gryffindor house thirty points."

Hermione buried her face in her arms, and Mia strongly suspected she had burst into tears. She smiled as she placed an arm around Hermione while the other Gryffindors cheered for her as well.

"Third-to Miss Amelia Thatcher," said Dumbledore. "For such strong loyalty and unconditional love, I award Gryffindor house fifty points."

Mia went as red as Ron as she looked down at her plate, an embarrassed smile on her lips as Harry and Hermione hugged her from the sides, while Gryffindors up and down the table were besides themselves with excited cheers and roars-they were a hundred and ten points up! She could hear Fred and George whistling, and she saw that even Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff was starting to join in.

"Fourth—to Mr. Harry Potter…" said Dumbledore. "For pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house fifty points."

The noise was deafening. Mia squealed as she pulled Harry in for a close embrace, nearly knocking him out of his seat, while Ron punched the air. Those who could add up while yelling themselves hoarse knew that Gryffindor now had four hundred and seventy-two points—exactly the same as Slytherin. They had tied for the house cup—if only Dumbledore had given Harry just one more point. Dumbledore raised his hand again, and the room gradually fell silent, with Mia waiting with baited breath.

"There are all kinds of courage," said Dumbledore, smiling. "It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends. I therefore award ten points to Mr. Neville Longbottom."

Someone standing outside the Great Hall might well have thought some sort of explosion had taken place, so loud was the noise that erupted from the Gryffindor table. Mia, Harry, Ron, and Hermione stood up to yell and cheer as Neville, white with shock, disappeared under a pile of people hugging him. He had never won so much as a point for Gryffindor before. Mia shouted with glee as she crushed Hermione into a hug, jumping up and down where they stood, her eyes glowing brightly. In the next second, she felt someone pick her up from behind and swing her around in circles, and from their booking laugh, she could tell it was Fred. Even everyone from Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff joined in.

"Which means," Dumbledore called over the storm of applause. "We need a little change of decoration."

He clapped his hands. In an instant, the green hangings became scarlet and the silver became gold. The huge Slytherin serpent vanished and a towering Gryffindor lion took its place. The cheers grew even louder, and Fred easily passed Mia off to George so he could spin her around as well. Mia laughed gaily, feeling happier than she had ever been in her entire life. As soon as she was set on the ground, she ran straight over to Harry, who picked her up in a hug.

"We won!" he yelled. Mia laughed even more as she, Harry, Ron and Hermione all huddled together for a group hug, all four of them with huge smiles on their faces. It was the best night of Mia's life, she would never, ever forget it.

The feast lasted well into the night, and soon enough it was time for everyone to head to bed. Before Mia knew it,, their wardrobes were empty, their trunks were packed, Neville's toad was found lurking in a corner of the toilets, notes were handed out to all students, warning them not to use magic over the summer, and they were all heading down towards the lake were Hagrid was there to lead them across and take them to the station on Hogsmeade. Mia watched sadly as the castle grew smaller and smaller, already missing it terribly.

"Don't worry Mia," said Hermione. "We'll be back soon."

"I know," Mia answered with a smile. "I'm just going to miss it. We had so much fun this year, didn't we?"

"Running into three headed dogs, getting caught in Devil's Snare, taking out a troll, and coming face-to-face with You-Know-Who?" said Ron. "You're joking, right?"

Mia laughed as the boats reached the shore, and they all clamored out so Hagrid could take them to the station. In next to no time, they were boarding the Hogwarts Express, and soon enough, they set off on the journey back to London. Mia, Harry, Ron and Hermione all found a compartment to themselves and spent the whole ride with each other, talking and laughing as the countryside became greener and tidier. Neville stopped by for a little while, along with Jenna, and even Rachel Collins stopped by to wish them all a good holiday. The hours passed by fairly quickly as they all told jokes, played Exploding Snap, and ate tons upon tons of Chocolate Frogs. When the conductor announced that they would be reaching Kings Cross in ten minutes, Mia and Hermione left to change in the bathroom while Harry and Ron changed in the compartment, pulling off their wizard robes and putting on jackets and coats. Soon the Hogwarts Express pulled into platform nine and three-quarters and Mia found herself becoming excited. She couldn't wait to see her parents! Brian must have gotten so big, she really wanted nothing more than to hold him right now. It took quite a while for them all to get off the platform. A wizened old guard was up by the ticket barrier, letting them go through the gate in twos and threes so they didn't attract attention by all bursting out of a solid wall at once and alarming the Muggles.

"You must come and stay this summer," said Ron. "All three of you—I'll send you an owl."

"Thanks," said Harry, "I'll need something to look forward to."

"Gee thanks Harry," said Mia, playfully glaring at him. "Didn't know I was so boring to be around."

The other three laughed as people passed them to get to the barrier. Some of them called:

"Bye, Harry!"

"See you, Potter!"

"Still famous," said Ron, grinning at him.

"Not where I'm going, I promise you," said Harry.

Mia and Hermione went through the barrier first, taking it at a steady jog. They passed through to the other side successfully, and when Harry and Ron came out from behind them, they heard an excited squeal.

"There he is, Mum, there he is, look!"

Mia looked over to see Ginny Weasley, Ron's younger sister, standing next to her mother, pointing at Harry.

"Harry Potter!" she squealed. "Look, Mum! I can see—"

"Be quiet, Ginny, and it's rude to point," said Mrs. Weasley before she smiled down at them. "Busy year?"

"Very," said Harry. "Thanks for the fudge and the sweater, Mrs. Weasley."

"Yes, they were very lovely," Mia added.

"Oh, it was nothing, dears," Mrs. Weasley. At that moment, Mia heard an all too familiar voice call her name, and she turned around to see Ben and Catherine coming towards them, with Brian at their side.

"Mum! Dad!" she called, dropping her trunk and running over towards them. Ben grinned as he caught his daughter in his arms and swung her around, planting kisses all over her face.

"Dad!" Mia laughed as she squirmed in his arms.

"Oh I hope you had a miserable time at Hogwarts princess, because you are never going back," Ben said good heartedly, placing Mia back on her feet and playfully ruffling her hair. He moved aside for Catherine to come over and hug Mia as well. When they let go of each other, Mia picked Brian up into her arms and held him close.

"Hey Bry, I've missed you," she said.

"Miss Mia," the little boy said with a smile. "Mia stay home?"

"For now," Mia said. "Mum, Dad, come on, I want you to meet someone."

Mia led her parents back over to where Harry was standing with the Weasleys and Hermione. As soon as Catherine caught sight of Harry, she smiled warmly at him and pulled him into a loving hug.

"Mum, Dad, this is my other best friend, Ron Weasley," Mia introduced.

"Good to meet you son," greeted Ben, holding out his hand for Ron to take.

"You too sir," Ron said, shaking the hand offered to him.

"It's so good to see you again Hermione, Mrs. Weasley," said Catherine.

"Oh please dear, call me Molly," said Mrs. Weasley. "It's so good to see you too. Ron's told how wonderful your daughter is."

Mia blushed at the praise wile Ron sniggered, earning him a punch to the arm.

"You really must come over for a visit sometime at our home," said Mrs. Weasley. "We do not know many Muggles, and it would be a great time for the children to get together."

"I think that's a wonderfully idea Molly," Catherine agreed with a smile.

"Ready, are you?" came a gruff voice from behind them. Mia turned around and frowned to see Vernon Dursley standing there, his walrus face purple, and looking furious at Harry, glaring at Hedwig as if carrying an owl in a cage in a station full of ordinary people was of the highest shame. Behind him stood Petunia and Dudley Dursley, looking terrified at the very sight of Harry, and standing a good ways away from everyone else.

"You must be Harry's family!" said Mrs. Weasley.

"In a manner of speaking," said Mr. Dursley. "Hurry up, boy, we haven't got all day."

Mia glared at Mr. Dursley's retreating back. She didn't see it, but Ben and Catherine didn't looked too pleased either. Mia adjusted Brian in her arms and turned back to her three friends. Upon seeing Harry, Brian squealed in delight and clapped his hands, saying, "Awyy! Awyy!" Harry smiled at the toddler before letting him take hold of his fingers. Ron stared at Brian as if he had never seen a baby before.

"So this is your brother?" he asked.

"Yes, this is Brian," replied Mia. "Brian, this is Ron, say hi."

"Hi Won Won!" said Brian gleefully. Mia and Hermione giggled at the look on Ron's face, while Harry grinned in amusement.

"Well, I'd better get going," said Harry. "I'll see you all over the summer."

"Hope you have—er—a good holiday," said Hermione, looking uncertainly after Mr. Dursley, shocked that anyone could be so unpleasant.

"Oh he will," Mia said cheerfully, earning her confused looks. She grinned evilly as she looked at Harry.

"_They _don't know we're not allowed to use magic at home," she said. Harry caught on instantly and he grinned too.

"Oh I'm going to have a lot of fun with Dudley this summer…" he said. He and Mia laughed, and then it was time to part ways. Harry said goodbye to Ron and Hermione before jogging off after his relatives, Hermione gave Mia one final hug before disappearing after spotting her parents, and when it was time to go, Mia hugged Ron, causing the boy to flush a deep shade of red. Waving goodbye, Mia gave Brian to her parents so she could push her trolley.

"You ready to go home sweetheart?" asked Catherine. Mia smiled.

"Yeah," she said. "Let's go home."

**The End**

**I really hoped you guys liked this! I'll post the first chapter of the next book as soon as I can. Love you! **


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